Business and retail crime

The APPC convenes national public and private sector partners to identify and respond to the specific challenges for preventing, reporting and investigating business and retail crime. PCCs work closely with their local business community in order to improve intelligence sharing, break down barriers to crime reporting and identify ways to reduce crime.

Tackling crime – the Pegasus project  

Following an approach from some of the country’s biggest national retailers with concerns about the impact of organised retail crime gangs in England and Wales, the APPC brought together policing, private sector and government partners with major retailers to discuss possible solutions. This led to the formation of Pegasus, a team of officers and analysts working within the national team that oversees serious and organised acquisitive crime, funded by 14 of the country’s retailers.

The Pegasus team has built the UK’s first comprehensive intelligence picture of the organised crime gangs that fuel many shoplifting incidents across the country, which is proving key to helping forces to dismantle them. As of March 2025, more than 268 previously unknown offenders have been identified and 108 arrests have been made.

Influencing policy, legislation and practice

The APCC ensures the voice of PCCs is heard nationally and that their experience is reflected within strategic conversations with government, including at the National Retail Crime Forum. We recently welcomed the proposed introduction of a standalone offence for assaulting a retail worker, a change we had long been advocating for.

Collaboration 

The APCC works closely with key stakeholders, including policing partners and the private sector as effective collaboration is key to tackling this issue. We also work to empower PCCs to improve their relationship with their local business community. 

A cohesive partnership approach to this issue can: 

•  Examine local and national barriers to reporting crime to the police 

• Improve intelligence sharing to support focus on prolific offenders 

• Identify an increased range of disposal outcomes and opportunities for diversion 

Knowledge sharing and guidance 

We work to support PCCs to tackle business and retail crime in their local areas by sharing notable practice and horizon scanning for evidence-based practice of interest. We share best practice via our quarterly APCC Business and Retail Crime Portfolio Group. 

We also develop tools to aid PCCs in the scrutiny of their force’s work to respond to and prevent business and retail crime, as well as briefings on upcoming legislation and reports to ensure our members are kept informed of the national work in this area. 

Portfolio leads