Glasgow was the first city to unveil Retailers Against Crime’s (RAC) `Retail Crime Techniques: A Community Awareness Guide’ digital billboard campaign, before its national rollout.
The guide was displayed on advertising screens in Buchanan Street and Sauchiehall Street to raise public awareness of the growing impact of retail crime and a range of criminal techniques that members of the public may encounter, including distraction theft, counterfeit gift cards, ATM fraud, compensation scams and impersonation scams. It provides practical advice on what to do if a theft happens and how people can protect themselves and reduce their risk of becoming a victim of crime.
The initiative was launched thanks to a partnership with the JCDecaux Community Channel. The group’s smart street units feature a large digital screen for adverts on one side paired with a smaller interactive touchscreen and integrated public defibrillator on the other.
The messaging features on around 400 JCDecaux screens across a wide range of UK cities including Aberdeen, London, Manchester, Bristol and Birmingham, and the full contents of the guide can be accessed by scanning a QR code.
Later this year, the screens will be upgraded with new software to feature a digital button which people can touch to find the specific information they want from the guide even quicker.
The community awareness guide features across seven billboards in Glasgow and the city centre’s Business Improvement District, Let’s Go Glasgow BID, is also supporting the campaign.
Police Scotland’s Glasgow Retail Crime Taskforce also backed the project.
Sergeant Ross McBurney said: “This measure can help make our towns, cities and shopping centres, safer places for the communities of Scotland.”
Stephanie Karté, CEO of RAC, said: “If this guide helps even one person recognise the warning signs of crime or avoid becoming a victim, then it has made a real difference. Together, we can raise awareness, encourage vigilance and help create safer communities for everyone.”
