Businesses urged to beef up security pre-festive season

WITH business robberies expected to increase rapidly over the festive period, Brighton Beach SAPS are helping community members prepare themselves.

“Business owners will extend trading hours to accommodate the influx of visitors into areas and accompanied with this is an expected increase of criminal activities. The increase in business robberies occurring at shopping malls has been widely publicised, yet other vulnerable businesses can also be targeted, such as financial institutions, butcheries, fuel stations, liquor outlets, post offices and second hand goods dealers,” said Brighton Beach SAPS communications officer, Captain Louise Le Roux.

The business against crime campaign aims to minimise business robberies during the 2014/15 festive season through education.

The following guidelines were issued by Capt Le Roux:

During a business robbery:

* The likelihood of an armed robbery turning violent can be reduced by the behaviour of the staff and customers.

* Do as you are told. You will only be putting lives at risk if you resist the instructions of the robbers. They are in charge because they are armed.

* Regulate your breathing; take long, slow and deliberate breaths. This slows your heart rate and helps you remain calm.

* Don’t shout or raise your voice. The robbers are probably more nervous than you and it might not take much for them to lose self-control.

* Don’t make any sudden movements. When you want to do something, even when following an instruction, tell them what you are doing. For example: “I am going to take the keys out of my pocket now.”

* Only activate an alarm if it can be done secretly. Many armed robbers have turned violent because the siren puts them in a panic.

* Don’t look them directly in the face as they may think you are trying to memorise features for later identification.

* Give them time to leave. Don’t shout or do anything else until the robbers have left the premises.

* Don’t try to be a hero. Don’t attempt to prevent their getaway. Many crime scenes have turned violent as the robbers are leaving.

Observation techniques:

* Clear information can assist the police during an investigation. However, this should not be done at the risk of your life or that of the people around you.

* Don’t make it obvious that you are observing them. Focus on one person at a time.

* First get an overall impression: Height, build, weapon, clothing and special features (such as a limp, deformity or birth mark).

* Next look at details including facial features. Are the eyes round or sharp; close set or wide apart?

* Go through the same process when observing their vehicles.

* Remember names used by the robbers when talking to each other.

* Remember what they touch, where they walk and any evidence discarded.