Dealing with a mall robbery
Some advice should you find yourself caught in a mall robbery this festive season.
“Knowing what to do in the event of a mall robbery could save your life,” said Wahl Bartmann, CEO of Fidelity Services Group.
He added, “The golden rule if you ever are caught in the middle of a heist is to stay calm. Customers always need to remain vigilant and should always be on the lookout for any suspicious activities and be aware of the people around them.”
Fidelity Services Group provided the following useful advice:
If you are in the store that is being robbed:
• Co-operate with robbers for your own safety. Listen to their instructions closely and follow their instructions
• Try and keep as calm as possible. Everyone reacts differently but try and breathe deeply until help arrives
• Do not use your cell phone while the robbery is in process, this could agitate the assailants
• Immediately try and find a sheltered spot and keep low on the ground
• Take note of the assailants to pass the information on to the authorities, ie what they were wearing, any distinctive clothes, markings, jewellery, etc. Try and remember what they look like, ie height, weight, etc.
• Ensure your children are always kept close to you. Do not let children wander off while you are shopping
• Do not shop with large amounts of cash or valuables
If you are not in the store being robbed:
• Speak with the store personnel to first close the roller shutter doors. This is also standard operating procedure in many malls and move to the back of the store, out of sight
• Try and find a store closest to you and secure yourself as described above
• Do not try and exit via the standard entry and exit points as these are the same points the robbers will be using. Many malls now have standard operating procedures to lock down the mall
Bartmann added crime is becoming more sophisticated with inside information playing an increasingly prominent role.
“Whether you were in the store being robbed or just witnessed the incident in the Centre, you should seek counselling, regardless of how you might feel. It often takes some time to experience and deal with the post-traumatic stress following such robberies,” concluded Bartmann.
