10 Tips To Help Avoid A Robbery

Robberies will happen. There isn’t anything anyone can do to stop them from ever happening again, but following some simple tips can make your business much less likely to be the target of a robbery.

1. Be security conscious. All employees should be alert at all times. Instead of being on their cell phone or fiddling with something in the store that requires a lot of attention, they should instead be focused on their surroundings, including where all customers are in the store at any given time.

2. Try to not develop routines. For example, change up where you park. If you are in charge of doing bank deposits for the store, switch up the time you leave to do so. Potential robbers will look for routines so they can predict your moves and better plan their attack.

3. Even if everyone knows the local sheriff's number by heart, in a time of crisis, it is easy to forget such details. Have emergency numbers posted near each phone. It is also a good idea to post the address of your store so it is readily available.

4. Having signs such as “Employees do NOT have access to the safe” can deter a potential robbery. Robbers look for easy targets and if they see employees can’t access a lot of money, they may choose an easier target with a potentially larger reward for themselves.

5. If you are in a retail setting where you collect cash on a continuous basis throughout the day, develop a policy. “There should be no more than $XXX in the cash register at any given time.” Employees should make regular money drops to avoid keeping large amounts of cash on hand.

6. Train employees in customer service. Not only does this help your business in other ways, it can help deter a robbery. Employees should make eye contact with everyone that enters the store, and verbally greet them as soon as they enter. Robbers obviously don’t want to be picked out of a line-up. If they know the employee has had a good look at them, they are less likely to rob your store.

7. When darkness is setting in, be sure the exterior of your store is well lit. In a well lit area, a potential robber is less likely to hang out and case your place.

8. Watch for suspicious activity. Have employees report any suspicious activity they see to the police.

9. It isn’t a bad idea to encourage police to visit your location on a regular basis. You’ve probably noticed a lot of convenience stores and restaurants give police officers discounts. If the officer is getting a discount, he is more likely to visit your store and a store that always has a police officer visiting it is much less likely to be robbed.

10. Hire a security guard. Nothing can help deter a robbery more than the presence of a security officer.

Again, there is nothing anyone can do to ensure a robbery will never happen at your location but by following these tips from Security America, you are much more likely to not become a statistic.