New app to help businesses combat retail crime

Lincolnshire Coastal Destination BID, with the support of Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce and Lincolnshire

Police have invested in the introduction of the new DISC App for businesses.

DISC is a unique crime information sharing system that will help to drive down low-level crime and anti-social behaviour (ASB) in more than 450 towns and cities across the UK.

It empowers its members to tackle the issues relating to retail crime and ASB and enables the police to work closer with the business community to deliver a more joined up community policing approach

Working closely with Lincolnshire Police and Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce, the app will look to help

members share information and apply banning systems for persistent offenders.

Members of the scheme can also have access to the schemes radios, which are connected to Boston CCTV

Control room.

The app enables businesses to submit Incident and Intelligence Reports about low-level crime and anti-social

behaviour in their area; view a database of Known and ID-Sought 'Offenders' and view summaries of reports

that have been submitted.

Members can also find out about up-coming events, receive 'Alerts' and other current awareness information,

read important news about the Partnership and area, and access an online library of useful documents,

uploaded by the Lincolnshire Coastal BID.

The BID will oversee the scheme and it will be supported by the newly-appointed Street Rangers who will be an

added presence on the streets of the town centres. The rangers are extra eyes and ears who can identify and

feedback any environmental or public realm concerns businesses may have as well as assisting with issues

relating to retail crime and ASB.

Lee Roberts, Project Co-Ordinator for the BID, said: “A key part of the BIDs role is to ensure a proactive

approach to the reduction of crime and anti-social behaviour in our town centres across the Lincolnshire

Coast.

"The introduction of the Street Rangers and the update to the Business Watch scheme in Skegness and

Mablethorpe is part of our overall strategy to improve the Lincolnshire Coast for businesses, residents and

visitors alike.

"I encourage local businesses to join the scheme and to share up to date information directly with other members through the app”.

Businesses can contact [email protected] for more information about the scheme.