Install a Security System: Use a high-quality alarm and surveillance system with cameras covering entry points and sensitive areas. Ensure it’s monitored 24/7 by a security company.
Control Access: Use secure locks, keycards, or biometric access for restricted areas. Ensure employees use these systems properly to prevent unauthorized entry.
Ensure Adequate Lighting: Install exterior lighting near doors, windows, and parking areas to deter break-ins at night. Motion-activated lights can also be effective.
Keep Cash Secure: Limit the amount of cash on hand, and keep it in a secure, locked safe. Make bank deposits frequently and at different times each day to avoid routines.
Reinforce Windows and Doors: Use security-grade glass or shatterproof film for windows, and install metal or solid wood doors with deadbolt locks to make unauthorized entry more difficult.
Trim Landscaping: Keep shrubs, bushes, and trees trimmed, especially around windows and entryways, to eliminate hiding spots for potential burglars.
Implement a Silent Alarm: Install a silent panic button behind the counter or in key locations that allows employees to alert authorities discreetly in the event of a robbery.
Establish Clear Sight Lines: Position counters or registers to allow visibility from both inside and outside the building. Clear sight lines can help deter robbers.
Train Employees in Security Protocols: Conduct regular training on robbery response, including keeping calm, complying with demands, and memorizing key details to share with law enforcement.
Display Security Signage: Post visible signs indicating the presence of security cameras, alarms, and limited cash on hand, which can discourage potential robbers.
During a Robbery
Stay Calm: Keep yourself and others as calm as possible, and avoid sudden movements that could escalate the situation.
Comply with Demands: Cooperate with the robber’s requests and avoid confrontational language or behavior to minimize risks.
Memorize Key Details: Try to remember distinguishing features such as height, clothing, voice, tattoos, or scars, as these details can help the authorities afterward.
Activate the Panic Alarm (If Safe): If you can do so discreetly without drawing attention, press the silent alarm to alert authorities.
Avoid Heroics: Do not attempt to confront or apprehend the robber; this could escalate the situation and increase danger.
After a Robbery
Lock the Doors: Once it is safe, lock the doors to prevent further incidents and to preserve the crime scene for authorities.
Call the Authorities: Contact the police as soon as possible, even if a silent alarm was triggered.
Preserve Evidence: Do not touch any items the robber may have touched, as these could have fingerprints or other evidence.
Write Down Observations: Record your memories and observations immediately while details are fresh, and ask other witnesses to do the same.
Offer Support to Employees: Robberies can be traumatic; consider offering counseling or support to employees to help them cope.