Self-storage businesses across the Isle of Wight are joining forces to prevent criminals from using self-storage facilities to house counterfeits and illicit goods.
The Tick Box scheme, a national scheme designed to keep criminals out of self-storage facilities, was introduced to the Island in 2020.
Since then, self-storage business including Barn Store, Cowes Movers, Isle of Wight Removals and Storage and InnerSpaces Self Storage, have joined the scheme ensuring their businesses are doing their utmost to keep their premises, and by extension their customers safe from illegal activity.
In recent years, enforcement action by Trading Standards in England and Wales and the police have resulted in the seizure of thousands of counterfeit items estimated to be worth millions of pounds, disrupting criminal networks.
The benefits that self-storage facilities offer, in terms of ease of rental and ready access, can make them attractive to criminals who want to operate ‘below the radar’ and store illicit goods, including counterfeit goods and unsafe consumer products.
However, these counterfeit goods pose a serious risk to both self-storage businesses and the public storing their belongings there.
Fake products do not undergo the same rigorous safety testing as genuine products and could be highly dangerous, like fake batteries.
Electrical items or unsafe chemicals could cause fires or chemical leaks, putting not only stored goods but the lives of customers and staff at risk.
Dominic Hampson, Operations Manager at InnerSpaces, based in Cowes, shared how Tick Box has been invaluable in highlighting potentially suspicious behaviour, saying:
‘‘The scheme was very simple to implement, and we were supported throughout.
"It has strengthened our approach to customer verification and reinforced the importance of vigilance across all stages, from inquiry to contract completion.
‘‘We’ve worked hard to build the trust of our customers over the 15 years we’ve been operating on the Island.
"Fake and illicit goods would undermine that relationship and damage our standing within the community and industry.
’‘Storing counterfeit products isn’t just about the immediate risks. It opens the door to a chain reaction of negative consequences, from compromising safety and security to fuelling larger societal issues.
"At InnerSpaces, we are committed to ensuring that our facility remains a safe, law-abiding environment for all.’’
James Potter, Trading Standards and Community Safety Manager for the Isle of Wight Council, added:
“The appeal of cheaper goods may seem tempting, but counterfeit goods will be of a very poor quality and will not have gone through the same amount of rigorous testing as genuine products on the market to keep consumers safe.
"Purchasing counterfeit goods has further proven consequences, including contributing to job losses in the UK every year, a negative impact on the economy, impacting workers rights and being linked to organised criminal groups who are involved in serious crime.
"If you’re caught making or selling counterfeit goods, this can have serious implications with an imprisonment term of up to 10 years and/or an unlimited fine.
Tick Box is a free partnership between local Trading Standards, the Intellectual Property Office, and the Self-Storage Association UK.
It provides storage facilities with a voluntary code of practice to verify customers’ identities and the intended use of storage units.
For more information about joining the scheme, visit Tick Box | Keep it real, keep it legal.
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