Additional Deterrents

The Presence of Uniformed Guards

• Use of armored car service for delivery and pickup of cash.
• Keep a list of emergency numbers near the telephone. Have witness description forms available for employees and witnesses to complete after a robbery has occurred.
• Vary lunch hours and coffee breaks so several employees are always on duty.
• Employees should be trained to watch for and report suspicious actions of people inside and immediately outside the premises. Do not hesitate to call the police when worried about a potential risk. Should the person leave before the officer’s arrival, write down the description of the suspect and their vehicle for possible police use. A suspicious person that is seen today may turn out to be the robber who returns tomorrow.
• Give every customer entering the business a friendly greeting. Look each customer directly in the eyes. A robber does not want to be identified and such human contact may spoil it for some would-be robbers.
• Require employees to ask for identification of workers, repair people, guards, and police officers, etc. before permitting entry into secured areas.
• The counter or work area should be cleaned regularly to remove old fingerprints. This increases the chance that a robber may leave behind a readable fingerprint. Oil or wax-based cleaners should not be used.
• Try to have at least two employees on duty always. Employing two clerks is a form of "target hardening" because it may make a robbery more difficult and more unsuitable to a potential robber.
• Do not be tempted to use phony signs or equipment. The use of phony surveillance cameras, for example, can ruin the credibility of all other security precautions. Robbers soon learn to ignore them.
• Publicize the fact that the business uses good cash practices and good protection equipment. Let would-be robbers know their profits will be small and their risks high with signs to convey this message. These visual deterrents (decals, placards, signs, etc.) should explain what safe method is used (dual key, drop or time delay safe) in hopes of thwarting a potential robber or explaining the method should a robbery occur.