Protecting your business from robbery

Quick wins

  • Keep windows clear: Remove advertising / posters etc. from the windows that obstruct the view of staff and passers by. Where possible, keep stock at no more than 140cm high so that the windows are clear. Do not obstruct windows with refrigerators or other equipment. This measure allows staff to see any potential threat and take appropriate action e.g. press the hold up alarm, move to a safe area, or escape from the premises. It also allows passers by to call police if they see a robbery in progress.
  • Excellent Customer Service: Customer service is as important for deterring offenders as it is for improving sales. Greet all customers as they enter your premises. Offenders often conduct a reconnaissance prior to a robbery. Offenders do not normally like places where staff are alert and have clearly seen them. A professional approach by staff members, who follow procedures, sends a strong message to offenders that the premises are well run and likely to be more challenging for an offender during a robbery.
  • Till cash limits: Cash is the most popular target for robbery, it is easy to use once offenders have it and offenders do not need to sell it or do anything other than spend it. Do not hold large amounts of cash in your till. Keep it to the bare minimum. Identify how much cash you realistically need in your till. Impose a till limit, and then ensure that you and your staff adhere to that limit. Ensure that the excess cash is stored in a secure area, preferably in a safe. Offenders often return to premises where they have been successful and obtained large amounts of cash. A realistic cash limit for most retailers is between £50 and £250.

    Consider alternatives to cash, such as promoting the use of card payments. Many banks now limit the money they have available and customers have to give 24 hours notice to access large amounts of cash. If you occasionally have to provide large amounts of cash e.g. a refund, consider alternatives including using a cheque or returning the cash to a debit / credit card.
  • Cash Handling: Do not count cash in public view. Wherever possible cashing up should take place in a back room, preferably where the safe is located, with the door locked. Allowing cashing up to take place in a public area increases the risk of an opportunist raid, when someone sees the large amount of cash and snatches it.
  • Banking: Banking can be a vulnerable time. The journey to the bank means that you do not have the security that you have in-store. Some simple forward planning can reduce the risk:
    • Firstly, identify a number of ‘safe’ routes to the bank. These routes should be in busy public and well-lit areas, if possible. Try to see if CCTV covers any of the route or the entire route. Avoid routine as much as is possible and consider increasing the number of bank runs to reduce the amount of cash available at any one time. This is particularly important at times where there may be a higher income than normal, including bank holidays.
    • If you regularly find that you are banking large amounts of cash you should consider the use of a professional cash carrying company.
    • For smaller amounts consider:
      • Frequent but irregular bank runs
      • Using physically fit staff who have received relevant security training
      • Vary the days, times and routes of bank runs
      • If walking, face oncoming traffic and walk in the centre of the pavement
      • If driving, place the money in the boot and park in areas covered by CCTV
      • If you become suspicious during a bank run go to a place of safety e.g. a police station, other retail premises etc. and call police.
  • Opening and closing. Opening and closing are two very vulnerable times. Staff need to be aware that they must be extra vigilant at opening time and in the lead up to closing time. Ensure that you have the right procedures in place and that staff are fully trained in what to do if they find something suspicious or should they come under attack.
    • Where possible always use two people for opening. One person should stand away from the premises with a mobile phone looking out for anything suspicious. Once premises have been opened a check should be made of the interior for intruders before the second person enters.
    • Where possible always use two people for closing. One person should stand away from the premises with a mobile phone looking out for anything suspicious. The other member of staff should ensure there is no one left in the store before locking the premises and setting the alarm.
  • Incident Log. Keep a record of all suspicious incidents. The log should include the date and time of the incident, a description of the people or vehicles acting suspiciously and what they were doing. This is invaluable to police following any incident, but especially in the case of robbery as it can save valuable time in identifying possible suspects. Always report suspicious activity to the police. The incident log can assist police to quickly identify suspects from CCTV imagery, but only if each entry is dated and timed. Try to give as good a description of the person or vehicle as possible.
  • Signage. Many commercial premises now display a security menu in their windows or on an external wall warning offenders that security systems are in place. These can include time delay safes, CCTV, alarm systems and other security measures. These signs are a good method of deterring offenders from your premises. For CCTV there is a legal requirement under the Data Protection Act to provide details of who operates the system, what the system is in place for and who to contact to obtain images. Ensure the signs are clearly visible from outside the premises. This may prevent offenders entering your premises in the first instance.
  • Get To Know your Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT). Your SNT are your local link with the police. Build a relationship with your SNT, they will be able to tell you what is happening in the local area and you can tell them about any suspicious incidents at your premises. If you haven’t yet completed a risk assessment, the SNT can assist you by providing information relating to local crime and offences you may not be aware of - not all robberies make the headlines. You can find who your team is and a contact number for them at: http://www.met.police.uk/saferneighbourhoods. Just enter your postcode in the red box.
  • Training. Your staff should be trained in how to deal with the public in violent or confrontational situations to reduce the risk of harm to them. Staff should also be trained in the procedures you have introduced and any security equipment you have in place and in what to do in the event of a robbery.

Crime Prevention