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# New business alerts initiative bidding to beat the criminals
- URL: https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/new-business-alerts-initiative-bidding-to-beat-the-criminals/
- Published: 2014-08-29T07:30:22.000Z
- Updated: 2014-08-28T17:55:49.000Z
- Author: Lichfield Live
- Tags: Business, Crime, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-07-22 20:48, News

A new initiative is hoping to help businesses in Lichfield and Burntwood avoid being targeted by criminals.

The Business Crime Matters scheme has been launched by Staffordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Ellis.

It aims to categorise crime reports into sectors such as construction and retail, allowing firms to subscribe for electronic alerts about threats and other information.

[![Sue Arnold](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e3/90/e390c3da-0866-4d2a-8ffe-ca4999d7ce1c/content/images/lichfieldlive-co-uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/suearnold.jpg)](//lichfieldlive.co.uk/2013/05/25/police-commisioner-orders-review-to-ensure-victims-dont-become-crime-statistics/suearnold-3/)

Sue Arnold

Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Sue Arnold – a former president of Southern Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce – will be responsible for the new strategy. She said: “Businesses are the lifeblood of local communities. But times are tough for small firms and being a victim of robbery, theft, vandalism or online fraud can be enough to drive them into the ground.

“Businesses need to know that crime against them is never ‘victimless’ and that they will not be forgotten.

“This new strategy is about building confidence in businesses by providing them with timely information that is relevant to their sector and the area where they are based. It’s about providing tailored advice, rather than having a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach.”

Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Jon Drake, from Staffordshire Police, added: “Recording and grouping crime by business sector means we can identify trends and have a real-time view.

“It enables us to spot crime patterns readily so that we can provide a targeted response and allows us to send out high-quality information that is relevant to businesses.”

Companies can sign up for the free alerts [on the Police and Crime Commissioner website](http://www.staffordshire-pcc.gov.uk/business/?ref=lichfieldlive.co.uk).