Tips for Dealing with an Armed Robber in Your Retail Store
Many retail store owners have the unpleasant experience of being robbed by an armed person. It is definitely a scary experience; but instead of thinking that it can’t happen to you, it’s best to be prepared.
The following tips will help you if your retail store is held up, so that you can escape with the minimum loss to health and wealth.
- Don’t Pull An ‘Arnold’. Even if your body is sculpted like Arnold, you will still be at a disadvantage if the robber has a gun and you are stuck behind the cash counter.
Don’t try to be a hero – remain calm and do as the robber says.
- Do Not Keep Too Much Cash In The Register. You should regularly shift the cash collected in your cash register to another hidden place inside your store (preferably a hidden safe) when there are no customers present. This will limit your losses in case of a robbery.
However, keep some amount of money in your counter so that the robber does not get the idea that you emptied the counter earlier. You can also keep marked bills as bait for the robber.
This will be very useful when the robber is caught with the cash.
- Observe Carefully. You should observe the attire and the mannerisms of the robber so that the information can be passed on to the police when the robber is gone.
Observe the robber’s eyes, chin or teeth. Look for any nicks, cuts or tattoos on the robber’s face and fingers. If the robber is not wearing any gloves, then observe any spot that the robber touched, so that the police can lift the fingerprints.
Install a high resolution CCTV (Closed Circuit Television) system in your store so that the antics of any would-be thieves are recorded.
- Do Not Touch The Crime Scene Until The Police Arrive. Once the robber is gone, call the police immediately and seal off the crime scene area.
This will enable the police to get some clues of the robber’s identity.
If you recognize the thief as a local, do not blurt it out during the robbery, but give that information to the police instead.
Use the above tips to stay out of trouble in case of an armed robbery in your retail store. Remember, your life is more important than your cash.
