Robbery is a crime committed against the person rather than the property. A burglary occurs when someone enters your home or business and removes the property from the premises.
If you are challenged by someone on the street, in your home, vehicle, or place of business, and there is a use of force or threat against you, probably you were robbed.
It’s essential to consider two things mentioned below:
- Robbers are only interested in one thing: your cash or property, and they want it now.
- Robbery is a dangerous job, and most robbers are uneasy. You don’t want to add to the risk of violence by delaying a robbery in any manner. Give the robber what he wants as soon as possible. perhaps, do not risk your life.
Robbery prevention
Some people take foolish risks, and some of them lose their lives as a result. If a robber confronts you with a pistol, you have a slim probability of safely disarming him.
Thinking ahead, “What would I do if this happens?” is the best way to prepare. You may panic or do something to make the thief panic and hurt you if you don’t have a strategy.
Let’s discuss some prevention tips that you should consider in a workplace:
Stay alert
Robberies tend to happen at predictable times
Due to little staffing and significant amounts of cash on hand, the opening and closing periods are particularly vulnerable. Due to the increased cash volume and the presence of huge crowds, robberies rise throughout the Festive season.
Report on any suspicious activities
Notice an individual or inhabited vehicle loitering near your business for an extended time, or acting strangely. Jot down the license number, car color, and call the police non-emergency number.
Visibility
Keep your doors and windows clear
To allow optimum visibility into and out of the store, post any appropriate notices to the side, top, or bottom of the display windows. Customers will be able to see your merchandise better as a result of this.
Place the cash register in the center of the room
Keep it in plain sight of the entryway, with the customer’s back to it. From the outside, the registration should be visible.
Keep counter displays to a minimum
Employees can see over the top as a result of this. You can even change the displays so that you can monitor both sides of each aisle. You can place wide-angle mirrors in key spots. This will help with visibility in the store’s dark regions.
Cash control
Keep limited cash in till
Only keep the money you’ll need to run your business, and put the remainder in the bank or a safe. Employees should have access to a vault, but not to the safe’s key.
Drop all checks and food stamps
Allow customers to witness your actions and explain why you are doing so. Request an exact change or the smallest bills feasible from customers.
Take more caution in the evening
Make sure the outdoor lights are turned on and operating. Collect money and make your drop before printing the money order in money order sales.
Building security
Monitor who enters and exits the building
Except for the main entry, keep all doors locked. Request that staff utilizes the main entrance.
Install a lock that can be unlocked from the inside
Provide an extra key, a phone, and a panic button for this room. If an employee is trapped during a heist, they will be able to call for aid.
Instill a sense of belonging
When customers enter the store, they should feel like they’re on your property and not free to do anything they want.
Use a door signaling system,
Install devices such as a buzzer or a bell. This will notify the personnel about the new arrival.
Response to a robbery
The majority of thieves do not intend to hurt their victims. They are only concerned with obtaining money or real estate. The calmer you remain, the less likely the robber will get aggressive or dangerous.
This boosts your chances of getting a more accurate description of the robber and being more helpful in the criminal’s capture. Let’s discuss some basic ideas of how to respond to a robbery:
- Arguing, fighting, surprising, or attempting to use weapons against a robber are all bad ideas: Any provocation on your behalf could exacerbate the issue. Take no unnecessary risks with your life.
- While you should collaborate with robbers, you should not offer any help: If the robber only wants $10, don’t hand him the entire sum. Don’t give checks out of the blue.
- Keep an eye on the robber’s hands: If the robber isn’t wearing gloves, everything he touches could leave a trail of fingerprints.
- Hand over your “bait” money to the robber: Make sure to tell the officer in charge of the investigation that you did so.
- Systematically keep track of your observations: Take a close look at the thief. Make mental notes on as many details as you can until you’re able to write them down.
- Take note of the weapon’s type and description: Only look at the weapon long enough to recognize it. From then on, keep an eye on the thief. Make no rash decisions and don’t try to be heroic.
- Observe the direction in which the thief flees the scene if it is safe: Concentrate on the brand, model, year, license number, and issuing state when a vehicle is involved.
Conclusion
To conclude, burglaries are difficult events in life, and having financial hardship on top of emotional pain may be disastrous. It might spell the difference between your firm staying afloat or sinking.
Make sure you have adequate insurance coverage in place so you won’t have to worry when the time comes. Apart from installing alarms and cameras, you can also consider taking a security guard service to protect your business.
There are certain security company in San Francisco and other cities that provide guards. They are professionally trained to take immediate action in an unprecedented situation that may result in a loss for your business.
