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Bira cautiously welcomes new crime and policing bill to tackle retail crime across high street businesses

26 Feb 2025

ACT parent company Bira has cautiously welcomed Labour's Crime and Policing Bill but is calling for urgent action and immediate funding to address the surge in retail crime affecting independent... Read more…

Bira warns of 'troubled times ahead' despite interest rate cut

7 Feb 2025

ACT parent company Bira has warned that retailers across Britain face troubled times ahead despite today's Bank of England interest rate cut to 4.5%, as the Bank halves its growth forecast for... Read more…

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The ACT and legal partner WorkNest are hosting an exclusive webinar on how to remain compliant with employment law while making necessary business changes.
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ACT parent company Bira urges Government action as December sales disappoint

23 Jan 2025

ACT parent company Bira is calling for urgent government intervention following disappointing December retail figures, which show sales volumes fell by 0.3% following a modest 0.1% rise in... Read more…

ACT announces new partnership with legal specialists WorkNest

17 Jan 2025

The ACT has teamed up with employment law, HR, and health and safety experts WorkNest as the association's new legal partner.
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Bira comments after BRC release Sensormatic IQ Footfall Monitor Report for December

9 Jan 2025

ACT parent company Bira has warned that disappointing footfall figures for December show mounting pressures on independent retailers, with concerning implications for 2025 as business costs... Read more…

2024 year in review: A message from ACT Director Jonathan Harrison

18 Dec 2024

Director of the ACT Jonathan Harrison has praised the "resilience and adaptability" of the ACT and its members in an end of year message.
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Practical steps to prevent credit card and payment fraud as an independent cycling retailer

4 Dec 2024

As credit card fraud becomes increasingly sophisticated, taking these steps could help you stay ahead of the fraudsters…
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Scottish retailers call for urgent business rates support as gap widens with rest of UK

29 Nov 2024

Scottish independent retailers, including those in the cycling sector, are urging the Scottish Government to provide crucial business rates relief in its upcoming budget, as the disparity in... Read more…

Bira and ACT welcome new House of Lords report on high street regeneration

28 Nov 2024

Independent retailers back call for local leadership and simplified funding.
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Men who stole thousands from small businesses sentenced

Posted on in Business News

Two men have been handed suspended sentences after stealing thousands of pounds from small businesses during a card-machine scam.

Card theft

Abdullah Said-Ahmed, 29, and Tahir Mohammed, 30, both from Brent, in London, admitted conspiring to commit fraud after targeting several businesses around Bristol's Cabot Circus between February and March 2019.

Omar Said-Baker, 30, of Brent, London, also pleaded guilty to the same offences, but did not attend Bristol Crown Court for sentencing last week. A warrant has since been issued for his arrest.

Avon and Somerset Police caught the men when they were travelling along the M4 in a car with false number plates.

After searching the vehicle, officers found expensive clothing and multiple credit and debit cards, four of which were in Said-Baker's name.

The trio committed fraud by telling shop workers they needed to enter their pin into card terminals when paying for goods.

But instead of entering a pin, they used the cards to authorise refunds to several different bank accounts.

Police said CCTV footage was recovered, showing how at least one man would distract the shop worker while the refunds were carried out.

Said-Ahmed was given a 14-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work.

Mohammed was given a 23-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.

Det Sgt Louise Sinclair, from Avon and Somerset Police, said: “These three men brazenly stole thousands of pounds from small shops and cafés.

“On one occasion, they refunded more than £5,000 from an independent café.

“I hope this investigation reassures small business owners that no matter how complex an investigation might be, we will do everything we can to ensure those who harm people’s livelihoods will be held to account.

“I also hope this case reminds shop workers of the need to be vigilant, to not allow customers to handle PDQ machines and the importance of reporting suspicious behaviour or criminality to us.”

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