Pictured above: Jean Mountain

A Midlands woman is set to further bolster the battle against crime.

Jean Mountain, who manages the Supreme Rubber Stamp Company in Huthwaite, Nottinghamshire, has been appointed as vice chair (public affairs) of the National Business Crime Forum. It is a vast portfolio from dealing with the media to lobbying government departments.

"Crime against business is a crime against the community, striking at its jobs, prosperity and general wellbeing," she warned.

"As a society, we do not tolerate antisocial behaviour where we live, and nor should we tolerate it where we work.

"Business crime is a big issue and will continue to be so. The police have still not fully recognised it yet by making it one of their key performance indicators, so there is plenty of work to do."

Ms Mountain, who sits on the board of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Chamber of Commerce, added: "We have to be even more proactive."

She joins Birmingham newsagent and National Federation of Retail Newsagents' vice president, Parminder Singh, the Forum chairman, and Burton businessman and Federation of Small Businesses' policy chairman, Mike Cherry, as vice chair (policy).

Mr Singh said: "I am very pleased that Jean has agreed to take on this role.

"She has been very involved with the East Midlands Regional Business Crime Forum and has done some excellent work there.

"She will be a big asset to the National Forum and a great addition to the team. I am sure she will prove a very effective advocate for the need to clamp down on business crime, highlighting how it damages both victims and the wider economy."

Crime is costing businesses a fortune across the UK- more than £1.5 billion in the last seven years in just the West Midlands alone - it has been claimed.

And the position is probably significantly worse as it is estimated that half of all crimes are not reported.

Six main problem areas have been highlighted - commercial burglaries, shoplifting, theft, criminal damage to buildings, making off without payment, credit card and cheque card fraud.

Other issues are robbery, fly-tipping, anti-social behaviour, vandalism and e-crime.

The National Forum is administered by Business Voice WM. It has been looking to ensure more businesses work with neighbourhood police officers to combat crime and will work with regional business crime forums and national business representative organisations across the UK to share best practice and agree the way forward to combat business crime.