Wolverhampton business leaders are to meet police chiefs and the city's MPs to discuss the menace of business crime.
The crime summit has been organised by Black Country Chamber of Commerce to highlight how crime against business is a major threat.
MPs Rob Marris (Wolverhampton SW), Pat McFadden (Wolverhampton SE) and Ken Purchase (Wolverhampton NE), along with senior police officers and members of the Chamber board will be at the summit, to be held at the Bilash restaurant, Cheapside, on October 27.
Chamber chief executive Ian Brough said the meeting was a valuable opportunity for business leaders to get their message across.
He said: "Research from the Chamber movement shows that on average crime costs each UK business more than £8,000 a year.
"Almost two-thirds of firms have fallen victim to at least one crime within a 12-month period.
"We will be telling police chiefs and the MPs that crime against business is not 'victimless' - it affects employers and the employees who depend on a company for their livelihood, has a major impact on confidence, while consumers end up paying more.
"In addition, crime against business can have damaging consequences for local communities and disadvantaged areas in particular, by acting as a barrier to growth.
"The Chamber is already a key partner in local and national crime reduction initiatives, but we want to explore new ways in which we can work with other organisations to tackle business crime."
Business crime will also be on the menu at a breakfast meeting organised by the Chamber of Commerce at the Park Inn, West Bromwich, on Thursday.
Dave Suszek, regional business crime team leader at the Government Office for the West Midlands, will give a presentation on the subject.
