Crime is costing small firms huge amounts of money each year, according to one expert.

Phil Orford, chief executive of the Forum of Private Business, explained that many companies are the victim of repeated incidents and this can leave them out of pocket or worse.

He said: "Many firms are faced with the costs incurred by repeated crimes against their premises. This significantly impacts on growth and, in many cases, their ability to survive."

This situation could then have a knock-on effect on the local economy as a whole and this could be "devastating" to a community, he stated.

For these reasons business owners should report every crime and there should also be a more "visible, proactive police presence", Mr Orford added.

His comments follow research by the British Chambers of Commerce which shows that the cost of crime to SMEs is now £12.6 billion.

Last week, the Federation of Small Businesses claimed that large firms are exploiting smaller one by delaying payment for goods and services.

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