How to behave during a mall robbery
The golden rule if you are ever caught in the middle of a heist is to stay calm.
Mall robberies have become a regular thing, but the problem increases during holiday periods, when people are at their most relaxed and least vigilant.
“The golden rule if you are ever caught in the middle of a heist is to stay calm,” said Charnel Hattingh, Marketing and Communications Manager for Fidelity ADT.
ADT provides the following information to keep you safe when visiting the mall the Christmas period.
If you’re in a store that’s being robbed:
• Co-operate with the robbers for your own safety. Listen to their instructions closely and follow them.
• Try to keep as calm as possible. Everyone reacts in a different way, but try to breathe deeply until help arrives.
• Do not use your cellphone while the robbery is in process. This could agitate the assailants.
• Immediately try to find a sheltered spot and keep low to the ground.
• Take note of the assailants to pass information on to the authorities, like what they were wearing, if they had any distinctive clothes, markings, jewellery and so on. Also try to remember what they look like, such as their height, weight, and so on.
• Ensure your children are kept close to you at all times. 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 firstly close the roller shutter doors. This is also standard operating procedures in many malls.
• Move to the back of the store, out of sight.
• Get to the store closest to you and secure yourself as described above.
• Do not try to exit through 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.
“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 Charnel.
