Insurer reports business crime up 10 per cent in last six months

Insurer AXA has released the results of its latest Business Crime Index, which reveals that for the second six monthly period in a row, anti-business crime has surged by 10%.

Although businesses are more likely to be victims of crime, the Index shows that the overall cost has remained almost flat, declining by a marginal 0.04% on an annual comparison.

Around 7% of businesses have been hit by criminals, and with the recession continuing this figure is forecast to rise. Particularly worrying is the arson rate, which has soared by 23%, and the rate of malicious damage which is up 14%. Breaking and entering rose by 13%, but non-forcible theft fell, the only type of crime to do so.

The insurer has sent its findings to the Home Office, who have recently published guidelines on how to combat crime aimed at businesses.

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