The deadline for business men and women to give their views on crime to the Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire and Swindon has been extended by a week.

The closing date to complete and submit the online survey is now midnight on Sunday.

Commissioner Angus Macpherson said today: “This is the first time I have consulted with the business community and I want to give everyone as much time as possible to have their say.

“So far almost 100 businesses have responded which is excellent given all the demands on their time.

“But I hope the extra days will encourage many more business owners or executives to set aside 20 minutes and let me know what impact crime and anti-social behaviour is having on their enterprises.

“People sometimes talk about crimes against businesses as victim-less crimes, but that is definitely not my view.

“The losses incurred can have a serious effect, and we the customers can end up paying more for our goods and services as a result.”

The survey is aimed at improving the way in which business crime is tackled in Wiltshire and Swindon.

It is being publicised by organisations including the Wessex and Swindon chambers of commerce, the Wiltshire and Swindon branches of the Federation of Small Businesses and the Institute of Directors South West.

Business people are already signing up to attend a free half-day business crime forum which Mr Macpherson is staging at the Corn Exchange in Devizes on Friday, September 6 (registration from 8.45am with an official start at 9.30am).

The results of the crime survey will be revealed at the forum, and business leaders and senior police officers will be on hand to comment on the findings and the audience will be encouraged to join the debate.

Also at the forum will be the head of a team of fraud investigators at Wiltshire Police who will offer advice on how business people can prevent themselves from becoming the victims of a wide range of frauds.

The deadline for completing the business crime survey is midnight on Sunday 21 July. For details go to www.wiltshire-pcc.gov.uk