In response to a rise in retail burglaries, Greater Geelong City Council developed an information tool kit for traders on Pakington Street. This is aimed at empowering traders to take steps to protect their businesses from crime.

The kits were designed to increase awareness and understanding of retail burglary crime prevention measures, and provide practical solutions to address crimes impacting businesses in the area.

The kits contained resources specific to retailers, including:

• a self-assessment security audit template
• ‘no cash on premises’ signs
• protocols for displaying tills
• incident reporting procedures
• tip sheets and general information about Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) and graffiti prevention.

Throughout the project, council led meetings with traders and local police to develop and distribute the kit, and facilitated presentations to traders by police about retail burglary and graffiti to complement the kit’s resources.

Achievements

The Pakington Street Traders Crime Prevention Project empowered local retailers to adopt crime prevention measures. This has reportedly led to the reduction of retail theft and burglary in the area. Following the distribution of the kits, traders also indicated they felt more connected to the wider trading community, and that incidences of theft and burglary were less frequent.

Greater Geelong City Council also leveraged the project to inform a CPTED analysis of the area, assisting them with their review of the Pakington Street Urban Design Framework.

Lessons learned

On conclusion of the project, Greater Geelong City Council indicated that if it were to deliver a similar project in the future, high quality printing would be sourced to ensure the longevity of the resources. This is particularly important for those materials used to upskill or induct new employees at businesses.