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| Betting shops odds-on favourites to be targeted by robbers, police warn | Betting shops odds-on favourites to be targeted by robbers, police warn |
| (30 days later) | |
| Almost 40% of all serious crime against businesses targeted betting shops last year, according to a presentation by London flying squad officers to the gambling industry. | Almost 40% of all serious crime against businesses targeted betting shops last year, according to a presentation by London flying squad officers to the gambling industry. |
| The presentation, which has not been published but has been seen by the Guardian, is the first official indication of police concern about the vulnerability of the bookmakers’ business model, which relies on large cash transactions in lightly staffed premises. | The presentation, which has not been published but has been seen by the Guardian, is the first official indication of police concern about the vulnerability of the bookmakers’ business model, which relies on large cash transactions in lightly staffed premises. |
| The data is confirmation that thieves appear to see betting shops as easy, cash-rich targets. Last year high-speed, high-stakes gambling machines, which are disproportionately found in poorer parts of Britain, generated £1.7bn of revenues for bookmakers. Politicians of every party have been alarmed by the rise of the machines. | The data is confirmation that thieves appear to see betting shops as easy, cash-rich targets. Last year high-speed, high-stakes gambling machines, which are disproportionately found in poorer parts of Britain, generated £1.7bn of revenues for bookmakers. Politicians of every party have been alarmed by the rise of the machines. |
| The figures also challenge the view put forward by Malcolm George, chief executive of the Association of British Bookmakers, that betting shops are the safest place to gamble. | The figures also challenge the view put forward by Malcolm George, chief executive of the Association of British Bookmakers, that betting shops are the safest place to gamble. |
| The presentation reveals that: | The presentation reveals that: |
| Of the 523 offences, the flying squad said 196 had been “detected with offenders charged”. | Of the 523 offences, the flying squad said 196 had been “detected with offenders charged”. |
| There is no sign of the problem improving. The flying squad – part of the Metropolitan police charged with dealing with serious violent crime – said that in the three months from December 2015 to February 2016, “betting shops remain a big concern with attacks making up almost 50% of all flying squad offences [in London and the south-east]. The majority involve a firearm and losses above £1,000.” | There is no sign of the problem improving. The flying squad – part of the Metropolitan police charged with dealing with serious violent crime – said that in the three months from December 2015 to February 2016, “betting shops remain a big concern with attacks making up almost 50% of all flying squad offences [in London and the south-east]. The majority involve a firearm and losses above £1,000.” |
| The document highlights how petty criminals graduate from small-scale drug dealing to street robberies before engaging in “gun-enabled commercial robbery”. In one example, a minor with a history of stealing jewellery from women in the street committed 13 armed robberies against betting shops in south London over nine months. | The document highlights how petty criminals graduate from small-scale drug dealing to street robberies before engaging in “gun-enabled commercial robbery”. In one example, a minor with a history of stealing jewellery from women in the street committed 13 armed robberies against betting shops in south London over nine months. |
| Experts said the presentation should be a wake-up call for the industry and warned of a “profit-before-safety” corporate culture that has emerged along with the rise of fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs). | Experts said the presentation should be a wake-up call for the industry and warned of a “profit-before-safety” corporate culture that has emerged along with the rise of fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs). |
| Campaigners say that while there has been an upward trend in crime at betting shops, bookmakers increasingly rely on single staffing in their shops, often a lone female worker, and security systems that direct staff to call central control rooms rather than the police. | Campaigners say that while there has been an upward trend in crime at betting shops, bookmakers increasingly rely on single staffing in their shops, often a lone female worker, and security systems that direct staff to call central control rooms rather than the police. |
| Concerns have been raised since one lone worker was killed in 2013 and a second was raped last year. In court the rape victim, who had been working alone at the time, said her employer, Ladbrokes, had given her no training on what to do if a customer was losing a lot of money. The judge described the company as “negligent”. | Concerns have been raised since one lone worker was killed in 2013 and a second was raped last year. In court the rape victim, who had been working alone at the time, said her employer, Ladbrokes, had given her no training on what to do if a customer was losing a lot of money. The judge described the company as “negligent”. |
| In an interview, Barry Phillips, a former detective superintendent in the flying squad and ex-head of security and safety at Ladbrokes, said: “My concern is that the industry is putting profit ahead of staff safety. As an industry we have had a shop worker killed and horrific sexual assaults on staff.” | In an interview, Barry Phillips, a former detective superintendent in the flying squad and ex-head of security and safety at Ladbrokes, said: “My concern is that the industry is putting profit ahead of staff safety. As an industry we have had a shop worker killed and horrific sexual assaults on staff.” |
| Phillips said it was a “real problem” that companies had boosted their profits by cutting down on the number of staff in shops. “We have shops opening until 10pm being staffed by one person. In the industry it is known that first thing in the morning and last thing at night is the most vulnerable time for violent attacks on staff. It’s my judgment that people would be alive if that had not been the case.” | Phillips said it was a “real problem” that companies had boosted their profits by cutting down on the number of staff in shops. “We have shops opening until 10pm being staffed by one person. In the industry it is known that first thing in the morning and last thing at night is the most vulnerable time for violent attacks on staff. It’s my judgment that people would be alive if that had not been the case.” |
| He said there needed to be greater cooperation between bookmakers and police. “We have seen that work with banks and the cash-in-transit industry. We have seen them adopt security measures and use higher standards of equipment. Working in partnership with the police, they have made the opportunities much more difficult for criminals. Whereas the betting shops are always dealing with high turnover of staff which impacts on training. Counters are not always left secure. There are issues with training [in] cash handling. | He said there needed to be greater cooperation between bookmakers and police. “We have seen that work with banks and the cash-in-transit industry. We have seen them adopt security measures and use higher standards of equipment. Working in partnership with the police, they have made the opportunities much more difficult for criminals. Whereas the betting shops are always dealing with high turnover of staff which impacts on training. Counters are not always left secure. There are issues with training [in] cash handling. |
| “You have staff emptying betting machines in front of customers. A robber will notice all this. FOBT machines give rise to opportunities because staff have to empty the machines to pay the punters. These are people on the minimum wage, young, who are on their own. They have to start emptying the machines, leaving counter areas open.” | “You have staff emptying betting machines in front of customers. A robber will notice all this. FOBT machines give rise to opportunities because staff have to empty the machines to pay the punters. These are people on the minimum wage, young, who are on their own. They have to start emptying the machines, leaving counter areas open.” |
| Last April the government announced that bookmakers would have to put checks in place so that punters who wanted to bet more than £50 at a time would need to set up gambling accounts. | Last April the government announced that bookmakers would have to put checks in place so that punters who wanted to bet more than £50 at a time would need to set up gambling accounts. |
| Phillips said: “When you look at the crime figures, it’s not just the robberies which are a cause for concern. The machine damage across the industry is also increasing. Also increasing is violence in the workplace and assaults on staff.” | Phillips said: “When you look at the crime figures, it’s not just the robberies which are a cause for concern. The machine damage across the industry is also increasing. Also increasing is violence in the workplace and assaults on staff.” |
| Councils, too, have become alarmed at the rise of crime associated with betting shops, which under the law could lead to a bookmaker losing its licence to operate. Last year Westminster council in London said there was evidence that a William Hill betting shop on Harrow Road was being “used by criminals to sell drugs and possibly stolen articles”. | Councils, too, have become alarmed at the rise of crime associated with betting shops, which under the law could lead to a bookmaker losing its licence to operate. Last year Westminster council in London said there was evidence that a William Hill betting shop on Harrow Road was being “used by criminals to sell drugs and possibly stolen articles”. |
| The council now says police are monitoring the shop. “Building on this, we have done a lot of work to regulate betting shops across the city more widely, to make them safe for residents, customers and staff. Specifically, we were the first local authority to implement tougher conditions, including a restriction on lone working in betting shops after 8pm where it was deemed appropriate,” it said. | The council now says police are monitoring the shop. “Building on this, we have done a lot of work to regulate betting shops across the city more widely, to make them safe for residents, customers and staff. Specifically, we were the first local authority to implement tougher conditions, including a restriction on lone working in betting shops after 8pm where it was deemed appropriate,” it said. |
| Adrian Parkinson, a spokesman for the Campaign for Fairer Gambling, said: “There is a clear problem with violence and criminality in betting shops, whether that is attacks on gaming machines, violence and antisocial behaviour towards staff and robberies – very often armed robberies in which staff are in direct danger. | Adrian Parkinson, a spokesman for the Campaign for Fairer Gambling, said: “There is a clear problem with violence and criminality in betting shops, whether that is attacks on gaming machines, violence and antisocial behaviour towards staff and robberies – very often armed robberies in which staff are in direct danger. |
| “One of the three principles under which bookmakers operate is that of keeping crime out of gambling. Clearly they are failing in this and the regulator just defers responsibility to local licensing authorities. It’s not good enough.” | “One of the three principles under which bookmakers operate is that of keeping crime out of gambling. Clearly they are failing in this and the regulator just defers responsibility to local licensing authorities. It’s not good enough.” |
| A spokesperson for the Association of British Bookmakers said: “Betting shops, like other businesses, are occasional victims of crime. That is why we took action in 2010 to create the Safe Bet Alliance, a cross-industry working group with the Met police, trade unions and betting shops. Since its creation, robbery against betting shops has halved. | A spokesperson for the Association of British Bookmakers said: “Betting shops, like other businesses, are occasional victims of crime. That is why we took action in 2010 to create the Safe Bet Alliance, a cross-industry working group with the Met police, trade unions and betting shops. Since its creation, robbery against betting shops has halved. |
| “We will continue to work with the Met police, the flying squad and other agencies to ensure that it continues to fall and the perpetrators are brought to justice.” | “We will continue to work with the Met police, the flying squad and other agencies to ensure that it continues to fall and the perpetrators are brought to justice.” |
| • This article was amended on 26 July 2016 to clarify the data source for the graphics. | • This article was amended on 26 July 2016 to clarify the data source for the graphics. |