In a determined effort to enhance safety and support, the Croydon BID Street Rangers have made significant strides over the last quarter.

Introduced in July 2022, the team of four Street Rangers work with the town centre business community offering a uniformed presence, greater visibility while acting as a conduit to collect greater intelligence between the business community and our partners including the Croydon Metropolitan Police Service (MPS). In the past 3 months, the street rangers team have patrolled Croydon town centre, offering over 1,200 hours of additional visibility, covering over 2 million steps offering direct support to businesses and members of the public.

During this time, the Croydon BID Street Rangers were also actively engaged with local businesses, making 1,800 visits, and assisting in over 80 incidents. These interactions have helped to strengthen relationships with business owners and their employees, fostering a proactive environment that aids in the prevention of potential business threats and business-related criminal activity such as shoplifting and anti-social behaviour.

Shaun Webster, Director of Operations at Croydon BID said: “Our Street Ranger team are fast becoming central to supporting the reduction in business related crime while offering an increase in a visible on street presence for our business owners and staff to engage with. Not only are the team a reassuring presence, but they are also assisting our partners and businesses in the gathering of important intelligence to ensure positive action can be taken to collectively address the issues that matter to our residents and businesses.”

Our Croydon BID Street Ranger team, trained in diffusing and de-escalating conflicts, can be contacted via the Croydon BID Radio Link to support situations of concern for businesses, employees, and member of the public. Croydon BID is actively encouraging businesses to sign up to the Croydon BID Radio Link to improve communications, intelligence gathering and on street support response.

Since its launch on April 1st, the 5G and Wi-Fi-enabled radio system, used by the Metropolitan Police, Croydon BID Street Rangers, and other key partners such as shopping centres security teams, has proven to be an invaluable tool for sharing real-time information on known offenders.

With 36 radios already in use by 29 different businesses, the scheme has contributed towards creating a collaborative and proactive environment for tackling shoplifting and other criminal activities, thus ensuring a safer environment for customers and staff.

One local business experiencing the positive impact of the Croydon BID Radio Link system is Freshfields Market, who have witnessed a noticeable decrease in shoplifting incidents since using the Radio Link:

Ben Selvaratnam, Owner, Freshfields Market said: “Since implementing the Croydon BID Radio Link scheme at Freshfields Market, we’ve seen an unprecedented change in our security dynamics. Not only have shoplifting incidents considerably decreased, but our team feels more connected and empowered, knowing that we’re part of a larger, collaborative network that prioritizes the safety and security of our community. This initiative has undoubtedly fostered a sense of unity among Croydon businesses and has showcased the strength of collective vigilance.”

The Croydon Metropolitan Police also recognises the value of the Croydon BID Radio Link in supporting the business community. Inspector James Weston, Croydon Metropolitan Police, comments: “The Croydon BID Radio Link has been an effective step towards enhancing security measures in our town centre, creating a united front against crime. Through collaboration, we can strengthen the environment, making it harder for offenders to operate. The local businesses’ support for the scheme reflects our collective commitment to creating a safe and prosperous environment for all.”

To apply for a Croydon BID Radio Link, businesses are asked to contact the team on 020 8603 0050.

Businesses are reminded to call the police at 999 in case of an emergency or call 101 for non-emergency cases related to crime.