7 Things to Do if Your Business Has Been Robbed

The main priority while operating your brick-and-mortar business is to keep your employees and customers safe, and that your business property is protected from vandalism and theft. No matter how secure your place of business is, a robbery can occur at any time. When your business gets robbed, your peace of mind and the business’s reputation are turned upside down. That’s why Edmonton-based security services can be a great investment for your business. With that in mind, however, here are 7 things you should do if your business gets robbed.

1. Notify the police

The first thing you should do after getting robbed is to notify the local police. All employees should call the police if they encounter a thief, or if they come to work and discover that your business has been robbed during off-hours. You and your employees should not touch anything on the premises, nor should you tamper with any evidence lying around.

No matter how messy or destroyed something looks, do not try to fix it. Wait until the police give you instructions after they have investigated the scene of the crime. The police are trained to examine the evidence on the business premises, and by moving things around, you could alter the investigation.

2. Ask witnesses to stay on the scene

If the robbery took place where there were witnesses on the scene, then, naturally, they might want to leave the scene of the crime. However, try your best to reassure them that they are safe as the police are on the way, and request that any customers, employees, or bystanders who witnessed the robbery stay at the scene until the police have arrived. If they must leave or refuse to stay, take down their names and contact information, and tell them that you are going to pass their contact information to the police.

3. Secure the surrounding area of your business

Along with securing the interior of your business, after getting robbed, you should block the exterior such as the front area with a parking lot and the back area. You can secure it by placing regular masking tape on the ground outside and telling bystanders to keep some distance away from where the masking tape is placed. Securing the surrounding area of your business helps prevent curious bystanders from accidentally disrupting the scene, and also stops people from getting hurt from things like broken glass or broken doors and windows.

Once you have secured the exterior, return to your store, lock the doors if they haven’t been damaged, and keep employees and witnesses away from the cash register, safe, or areas the robber may have touched.

4. Avoid talking about the details of the crime

After the police have arrived and conducted their initial investigation, you, your staff, and witnesses might feel the need to talk about what happened. You may be approached by the media, other neighbouring businesses, or even other employees who weren’t working at the time of the robbery to discuss what exactly happened. It’s fine to notify people to know that you were robbed, but you shouldn’t talk about details such as how much money was taken. The amount of money or the total value of goods or damages incurred should remain private between you and the police.

5. Revamp your video surveillance

Revamping your video surveillance or adding some extra cameras could prevent future criminal activity. If your business property experiences another break-in or theft, the police will be able to review the CCTV footage to help identify if these were the same robbers. Additionally, by revamping your video surveillance on your business property, you extend your footage to reach blind spots or areas that were missed in the first robbery.

6. Use deterrence signage

Once you have revamped your video surveillance, it is important to inform potential or returning thieves that your business has taken extra security measures to deter robbery. You should post the following deterrence signage on your windows and front and back doors:

• Alarm system signs
• Security camera warnings
• Height measure by each exit
• Security guard warnings
• Signs that claim no cash is kept overnight

Placing various security signage in visible areas on your business’s entrance doors and exits will discourage potential robbers from breaking in.

7. Hire professional security guards

One of the most effective ways to avoid future robberies is to hire highly-trained security guards. At first, it might seem costly to hire security guards. However, right after getting robbed, the next several months should show the public that you have taken extra security measures to secure your business. If you can’t afford to have security guards on your premises on a daily basis, you could hire them for specific times such as evening or night shifts, or on certain days such as weekends.

Contact Optimum Security

Getting robbed is one of the scariest situations that your business can experience. However, by following these 7 tips, you could help the authorities solve the crime, and also prevent burglaries from happening in the future:

• Notify the police. After getting robbed, you or your employees should call 9-1-1 and report the crime. Make sure that no one is injured and, if possible, you, your staff, and customers who witnessed the robbery should write down what they remember such as the physical description of the thief or license plate or car descriptions if they left in a getaway car.
• Ask witnesses to stay on the scene. Request that witnesses such as other customers, employees, or bystanders stay on the scene of the crime. If they refuse to stay and have to leave, ask for their name and contact information.
• Secure the surrounding area of your business. You can secure your business premises by placing masking tape on the grounds outside and informing bystanders to stay away from where the masking tape is placed.
• Avoid talking about the details of the crime. If the media, other employees, and neighbouring businesses want to know if you got robbed, it’s fine to admit to it. However, do not give details about the amount of money or the value of goods that were stolen. This information should be kept confidential between you and the police.
• Revamp your video surveillance. Update your video surveillance with extra CCTV security cameras that didn’t cover specific areas.
• Use deterrence signage. Announce to the public that you have taken extra security measures by posting alarm system signs, security camera and security guard warnings, and “no cash kept overnight” signage.
• Hire professional security guards. Having trained security guards on your premises during specific shifts and days can serve as a warning to future robbers to stay away.

If you would like more information about our Edmonton-based security guard services, call Optimum Security at 604-644-9229 or contact us here.