Bakers Basco frontline staff have been equipped with protective body armour following increased aggression towards investigators.
The organisation, which manages bakery equipment such as baskets and dollies, said its staff are regularly exposed to confrontational situations while recovering equipment that has been taken without permission.
Bakers Basco explained that, while the majority of interactions are peaceful, some have included verbal abuse, threats and physical intimidation.
“The small number that escalate have become concerning enough to warrant additional measures,” said a spokesperson.
They added that a number of factors might be leading to the increased aggression towards staff. “Economic pressures may be pushing some individuals or businesses to cut corners or misuse our equipment and when challenged, tensions can rise quickly.”
Another factor might be the increasing effectiveness of equipment recovery.
“This sometimes brings us into direct contact with individuals who were not expecting to be held accountable. As a result, the nature of these encounters has become more unpredictable,” said the spokesperson.
Bakers Basco has also adopted body-worn cameras for its staff following a successful trial. It said their use on more than 120,000 investigative visits had shown they help safeguard officers, streamline evidence collection and reinforce the company’s zero-tolerance stance on equipment misuse.
“Initially, we wanted to test the technology in real-world situations,” explains Bakers Basco national investigations manager Stacey Brown. “What we found was that the cameras didn’t just help us collect better evidence, they changed the way our team approached investigations. They helped de-escalate tensions, backed up officer accounts and significantly reduced time spent on admin-heavy reporting.”
The Partner MK4 body-worn camera has a 15-hour battery life, with footage stored via DEMS body camera software, keeping all data GDPR-compliant and tamper-resistant. It also features infrared night vision that has been useful in early morning or late evening recovery operations.
Bakers Basco added that the cameras had brought improvements in operational efficiency, evidence integrity, and officer confidence.
“With fewer disputes and stronger documentation, the investigations team can focus more time on recovery efforts and less on reactive administration,” said Brown.
Bakers Basco was set up in 2006 through a collaboration between Warburtons, Hovis, Allied Bakeries, Frank Roberts & Sons, and Fine Lady Bakeries. It manages an equipment pool of approximately 4.5 million Omega baskets, which have a shelf life of up to eight years, and 450,000 dollies for use by bakeries across the UK.
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