A recent rash of convenience store robberies have local police thinking there has to be a better way.
Deputy chief Andy Hay on Tuesday said Thunder Bay Police Services has offered to work with storeowners and officials from company headquarters in an effort to find to prevent staff from being victimized by armed robbers.
Hay said police have looked at the overnight convenience stores, many of which seem to get hit over and over again. Many of the stores don’t offer much protection to employees, he added, with an open-door policy 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
“We are working with Mac’s and any other store that is subject to being robbed … to look at the design of the stores and hopefully we can implement a few more safety procedures. Some stores have blocking shelters for the employees around the till area.
“We’ve also discussed buzz-in systems. Most of these stores do have video cameras, but once the person is in the store and they’re wearing a mask, they’re not concerned about being on camera,” Hay said.
According to EzineMark.com, studies reveal most thieves target stores ahead of time and consider variables like the amount of cash they think will be on hand and the ease of escape after the robbery.
Among the hints they offer to convenience store robbers looking to avoid becoming the latest crime statistic, are limiting the amount of cash on hand and not accepting bills larger than $20, prominently displaying notices of security measures in place, surveillance cameras and silent alarms, adequate lighting and the hiring of security guards to periodically drop in to the store.
“By putting the above security measures in place, would-be criminals will view robbing your convenience store as a higher risk than a benefit,” the website’s author writes. “In doing so, you will reduce the risk of your store being robbed, as well as providing a better environment for you, your employees and your customers.”
Hay confirmed the incidences of robberies locally seem to co-relate inversely to the effectiveness of the deterrent measures in place. This might mean not all owners are getting the message, as the number of armed robberies at convenience stores appears to be on the rise of late, Hay said.
Since Oct. 6 police have reported four robberies at Mac’s Mart convenience stores around the city, the most recent happening on Sunday morning when two suspects, one armed with a knife, fled after pilfering an undisclosed amount of money and cigarettes from a Simpson Street outlet.
“This fall we’ve seen a spike in the number of armed robberies within the city. It’s (mainly) overnight convenience stores. They are of great concern to us, particularly the safety of the employees that are in the stores,” Hay said, noting police are dedicating more and more resources to the issue, both in reactive and precautionary measures.
While it’s difficult to link the recent spate of crimes together, the motive is almost always the same, he said.
“Most of these robberies we believe they are fueled by addictions. These people are desperate for money. They’re not getting a lot of money from these robberies. They’re getting cigarettes and a small amount of cash, probably enough to move onto their next set of pills that they require,” Hay said.
“That’s what raises our concern. It’s also raises the risk level for robberies such as these. When you have people that are desperate for money, desperate from addictions and they have a weapon with them and they’re willing to go in to rob a store, the risk level of the community is very, very high.”
