Ex-Police, Ex-Military, Ex-Government Investigators, International Fraud Specialists, Former Undercover Agents and Experienced Field Operatives

Most businesses are more at risk of accounting fraud (skimming accounts), theft by employees (pilfering) and skimming the till for a cash business.  Please contact us for advice on ways to minimise your risk, or to assess if you have been the subject of such criminal activity.

For any cash business, however, you must assess the risk of robbery with the associated losses and trauma to employee's.  Personal safety for yourself, your family and staff should be a primary consideration.  Making yourself as uninviting a target as practicable for armed robbers is part of this, and makes good business sense.

Contact us for advice on methods to reduce your risks.

Offenders at a majority of 'armed robberies' in Australia do not carry firearms, some carry replica firearms.  This is a world wide trend, where things such as knives and opportunity weapons, or threats, figure in a high proportion of robberies.  Even in the US firearms are involved in less than 10% of non-fatal violent crimes and only 24% of robberies (US Bureau of Justice statistics).  The perception and the reality are far different.

'Professional' armed robbers may use firearms, though the vast majority of robbers aren't 'professional'.  When a more skilled armed robber leaves, they will have a getaway plan.  They may use a cheap car, bought for cash, and still running under the previous owners rego.  They may buy a vehicle off a backpacker leaving the country.  The offender/s may only go a short distance then change from this vehicle to a high value vehicle and change their appearance to a business suite.  So no-one would look twice.  Or the offenders may be female, and go back to a 'family' setting after they leave.

The 'Professional' armed robber is less of a threat, although sometimes more threatening, because they are aware of the consequences of shooting a hold-up victim, and the commotion it may attract.  They intend getting their money and leaving.

Run of the mill offenders are opportunistic, and don't travel far from where they live.  However, please do not be fooled into think a knife or lump of steal is a less than lethal weapon, and ineffective as a threat.  You are dealing with a desperate or drugged person, or both.  A knife or blunt instrument is often used in robberies, especially hastily planned one's.  It is still a potentially deadly instrument.

It has always been recommended that untrained staff give the offender whatever they ask for, when threatened. 

The trick is to try and remain calm (You will have adrenalin, no matter what, just don't do anything silly).

Keep your eyes moving, don't fixate on the weapon.  Take mental notes of everything including tattoo's, jewellery, accents, if they're left or right handed, what they say and how they say it, clothing (including shoes), what do they touch (fingerprints), do they spit, or throw away a cigarette or bleed (DNA).  Compare their height against something so you can describe their correct height.  Look to see if they're wearing a wig.  If they have a gun, have a look is it a pistol (revolver or semi-automatic), a rifle, a shotgun.  Can you see bullets or shells? 

Above all do not antagonise the robbers. 

A robbery involves a power play, before they entered the store you were in charge, when they come in with their weapons they want to be in charge and get you to do what they want.  They are seeking material things.  Let them have them.  You're safety is paramount.

However, when they leave you should note which way do they go, do they throw anything away or what sort of car, the registration, stickers or other identifying features.  How many people were in the car?

Make sure you protect anything that may yield evidence, don't touch or let anyone else touch physical evidence.  Make sure the first responding police are made aware of anything that may be useful.

When the robbers leave they are no longer a threat, if you can look up the road to see where they go, safely, do it.  Take your mobile phone, give a running commentary if you like.  Calls to police are recorded, it's a way of making notes for yourself of every detail you can see.  Make sure your not talking gibberish, though!

If you live in an area where police dogs may be used to track the offender try not to let people move over the area where you saw the offender go.  If you have dogs, secure them so they don't distract the police dog, if you can phone neighbours and ask them to do call their dogs inside before police arrive it may be helpful.  Be ready to give an indication of exactly where you saw the offender go and where you last saw them.  Whilst ringing the police it may be a good idea to ask if they have a dog available and is it coming.  Also tell the first responding police this, so they don't muddy the track either (police don't ALWAYS think of everything).

The more people who cross a track the harder it is for the dog.

Now, undoubtedly, after an incident like this you will suffer some shock.  You may feel angry and traumatized. 

You must write notes as soon as you can after the offenders leave.  You won't believe how much you will forget of a traumatic event!  If you have a duress alarm, after you've triggered it start writting notes.  If there are other people in the shop get them to write their own notes.

We are happy to assist with risk assessments or training staff in armed hold-up procedures.

PLEASE NOTE THE PRIVATE GROUP MUST ALWAYS CONSIDER THE JUSTIFICATION WHEN RECEIVING A REQUEST FOR ARMED STAFF.

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About the author:  This is an article by The Director.  He spent a number of years as an operational Police Officer, including working in built up area's and tourist destinations. He has actually caught quite a number of offenders for armed robberies.  These have included women armed with shotguns, travelling with their children (heroin addicts), men armed with replica firearms (amphetamine addicts) and knives, as well as your run of the mill threats and lumps of steel/timber robbers.  He has also attended a number of businesses that have been robbed.

He has been part of operations targetting 'professional robbers' such as Brendan Abbott, as well as operations to prevent robberies.