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On Saturday, May 24th, a Rent to
Own store in Maryland was robbed at gunpoint. The robbery was
spotted by a passerby who called police. No one was injured and
the Police apprehended 2 suspects.
For rent to own companies, store location, merchandise mix, and
cash flow combine to make the potential of an armed robbery very
real. Many injuries, and at least one death have been reported
during robberies of rent to own stores in the past 4 years.
The steps you take to prevent a robbery, and how you train employees to act during,
and after an armed robbery, can mean the difference between a
terrifying event...and a terrible tragedy. Accepting the fact that it
could happen to you is the first step.
According to 30 year law enforcement veteran, Detective Scott
Buckley of the Arvada Colorado police department, there are
steps you can take to minimize the risk of becoming a victim.
Detective Buckley, who serves on the Board of Directors of
the Colorado
Association of Robbery Investigators (CARI), says "The most
common, and dangerous, mistake made by victims of armed robbery is not doing
exactly as they're told by the robber".
Det. Scott Buckley
Arvada, Co. Police Dept
"99% of the time, the robber wants to get in, get the money,
and get out quickly. Giving them exactly what they want will
minimize the risk of injury to everyone involved" |
According to Detective Buckley, "All employees should receive
regular training on what to do before, during and after an armed
robbery". He adds, "If you wait until it happens, it's too
late."
The checklist below is published by CARI. It offers tips on
lowering your risk of robbery, how to minimize the risk of
injury during a robbery, and how to assist police if a
robbery occurs.
We have provided a
printable version
 of these checklists,
courtesy of CARI, for use in training manuals and store
meetings.
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Preventing an Armed Robbery |
| Keep your front doors and windows clear of signs and
posters to allow good, two way visibility. Employees can
see suspicious persons outside. Passers-by and police can
see inside. |
| Keep the outside of your business well lit at night.
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| Make sure your cash register area is clearly visible
to outside observers. |
| Practice good cash control. Keep a minimum amount in
your cash drawer and make regular drops into a safe. |
| Advertise outside that you keep a minimal amount of
cash in the register and that you will not accept large
bills. |
| Don't keep large bills under the cash drawer. If you
don't have a safe, find a less obvious place to hide your
extra cash until you go to the bank. |
| Use a safe that the clerk cannot open alone or that
requires two keys. Post that fact conspicuously, including
on the safe itself. |
| Use video camera surveillance and make it well known.
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| Always have at least two clerks working at night. |
| Vary your banking routine. Carry cash in a variety of
ways - a lunch sack, attaché case, flight bag, pocket,
etc. Money bags ar pretty obvious. |
| Vary the times and routes that you use to go to the
bank. |
| Make deposits as often as possible, never less than
once a day. |
| Be alert for "customers" who seem to be loitering or
glancing around the store while appearing to shop or
browse through a magazine. |
| Watch for suspicious persons outside the business -
especially in parked cars and around telephone booths.
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| If you see someone who is acting suspicious inside or
outside, call the police to have them checked out. |
| Two persons should be on hand at opening and closing
times. |
| At opening time, one person should enter the store and
check to see if it has been disturbed. |
| Before closing, one person should check the office,
back rooms and rest rooms to make sure no one is hiding
inside. |
| Keep side and back doors locked. Have employees use
the main entrance, if possible. |
| Place markers at the main entrance that employees can
use to help gauge the height of a robber as he leaves.
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What to do during a robbery |
| Try to stay calm. Don't make any sudden movements to
upset the robber. |
| Do exactly as you are told. DO NOT RESIST! |
| Activate your alarm ONLY if you can do so secretly. |
| Tell the robber about anything that might surprise
him, such as someone who is expected to arrive soon. |
| If you have to move or reach, tell the robber what you
are going to do and why. |
| Try to get a good look at the robber so you can
describe him later. |
| Don't be a hero. It's better to lose your money than
your life. |
| Give the robber time to leave. |
| Note his direction of travel when he leaves. |
| Try to get a description of his vehicle ONLY if you
can do so without exposing yourself to harm. |
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What to do after a robbery |
| Call the police immediately, even if you have already
activated the alarm. |
| Close the store and lock the door(s) if you have a
key. |
| Do not discuss the details of the robbery with
witnesses or fellow employees. |
| Ask any witnesses to stay until police arrive. If they
can't, get their names, phone numbers and addresses. |
| Do not touch anything that the robber may have
touched. Block off areas where the robber was, if
necessary. |
| Try to recall as much as you can about the robber's
appearance, speech and mannerisms. Make notes. |
| Step outside the store when the police arrive so that
they'll know the robber is gone and you are safe. |
| Let the police answer inquiries from the news media.
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| Do not discuss the amount of money taken with anyone
other than police. |
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RTO Online is the official channel for Rent-to-Own Industry News and the
only independent source of news for the rent-to-own, rental-purchase,
lease-purchase trade. RTO Online (Rent to Own Online) represents the choice
of the entire RTO Industry for trusted information, as it happens. |
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