Hotel crime: Police reveal top tips for hoteliers

Earlier this year the Facewatch website, established in partnership with the Metropolitan Police, was expanded to create a special intranet service for hoteliers in the capital​ and beyond.

Now, talking to BigHospitality, Sergeant Adrian Haley, of the Westminster Borough Hotel Liaison team, is calling on all hotels to consider taking advantage of the free site - a move he says can tackle crime in hotels which are increasingly being targeted by criminals and terrorists.

Safer hotels​

Recently a London-based South American gang who stole unguarded bags left at a number of high-end properties in London and the south east, were arrested as a result of hotels working with the police.

"I appreciate hotels are all part of the hospitality community - but I think if we can get some linked-up thinking, I think what we have learnt here we could use across the country," said Haley.

"I want to get them to be part of a community, share ideas and I think they would make hotels across the country a safer place. It would give reassurance to people travelling from abroad to visit here."

Haley is particularly keen to engage with hoteliers working in some of the big regional cities such as Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham.

Hotel Crime - Top Tips for Hoteliers:​

• If you don't have security - train all your staff to greet everyone and make eye contact with anyone who enters so any potential criminal knows they are being observed. Test how far someone can get in your property without being challenged.
• Check your CCTV - has the system been maintained, what is the coverage like in the foyer and lobby areas and what is the quality like? Poor CCTV images can be rejected in court.
• Encourage your customers not to leave their bags unattended and train staff to mention to guests if any bag has been left alone.
• Check the locking systems on your hotel doors are up to date and secure - old systems often don't have alarms and can be easily forced.
• Be aware of the dangers of having a high turnover of agency staff.
• Keep on top of hotel crime trends - recent problems include fraudulent third-party bookings and people calling hotel switchboards purporting to be the head office, being asked to be put through to the most recent users of room service for a survey and then taking credit card details from the guest.

Five-star service​

The London Hotelwatch allows hoteliers to contact each other and the police, report crime and view CCTV images. It also gives police the chance to circulate images of suspects wanted for a variety of large-scale crimes - hotel staff can then report if the person is staying in their venue.

Westminster borough is one of the areas most densely populated with hotels in the capital. Haley is unique in the police in terms of the relationship he has with hoteliers - he has been working with the 348 hotels in the area for almost two years.

"It is almost offering a bespoke five-star service to five-star venues," he explained.

Recently hotel front of house staff in the borough have been able to take advantage of training to identify fraudulent documents.

"What has happened, certainly here, is because I have established myself in Westminster, my name is starting to filter out. I am now reaching out to Heathrow, Kensington & Chelsea and across London. I have had enquiries from external police forces who have asked me to help them and we have had some excellent results," he said.

All hotels are being encouraged to join the scheme by signing up as a business user at www.facewatch.co.uk​ before securely joining the London Hotelwatch intranet group.​

Hoteliers wishing to get in touch with Sergeant Haley direct can also do so by emailing BigHospitality to be given his contact details.​