What to do in an armed robbery

With the festive season approaching, armed robberies are often on the increase. Here are some safety tips on what to do should the situation arise.

When an armed robbery takes place at a location (store, warehouse, factory, shopping centre or restaurant), the likelihood of the incident turning violent, resulting in injuries to personnel and customers, can be effectively reduced by the behaviour of the staff and customers.

- Don’t Resist
Do exactly as you are told. The robbers are in control of the situation because they are armed, and it serves no purpose to resist their instructions – you will only be putting lives at risk.

- Relax
Regulate your breathing, taking long, slow deliberate breathes. This slows your heart rate and helps you relax.

- Speak slowly
Don’t shout of raise your voice to the robbers. They are probably more nervous than you, and it won’t take much for them to lose any self-control they may posses.

- Don’t make sudden movements
When you want to do something – even if it is an instruction from the robber – tell them what you are doing – “I am going to take the keys out of my pocket now” – and do it slowly.

- Don’t set off the siren
Activate the alarm only if you can do so secretly. Many armed robberies have turned violent (with hostages taken) because the siren puts the robbers into a panic. Also, only set off the alarm if you can do so without the robbers seeing you. Setting an alarm can also trigger a violent response.

- Don’t look the robber directly in the face
The robber may believe that you are trying to memorise his features for later identification, and it could lead to him shooting you in order to prevent this.

- Give the robbers 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 the robbers’ getaway. Many crime scenes have turned violent as the robbers are leaving, resulting in deaths and injuries to staff and customers.

- Observation techniques
Clear information on the robbers assists the SAPS investigation. However, this should not be done at the risk of your live of that or persons around you.
- Don’t make it obvious that you are observing the robbers
- Focus on one person at a time
- Gain an overall impression first
- Height
- Build
- Firearm or other weapon
- Clothing
- Special features - a limp, deformities, birthmarks etc.

- Then look at details
- Facial Features – round or sharp, eyes close or set wide apart, etc
- Remember any names used by the robbers when they were talking to each other.
- Remember what they touch, where they walk, any cigarette butts discarded or body fluids deposited, etc.

- Vehicle details
The same rules apply, overall impression first, and then the details.

- First look at the make and model
- Colour
- Noticeable features
- Registration number