Keeping your business safe

The safety of their businesses and staff are always on the mind of business owners.

In attempt to minimise business robberies, Captain Shooz Magudulela, police spokesperson, has given safety tips for businesses to follow.

1.) Try to avoid the accumulation of large amounts of cash in cash registers by employing drop-safes.

2.) Keep lines of observation in the business open.

3.) Place surveillance cameras strategically in the business and implement some form of entrance and exit control. Make sure persons can be clearly identified.

4.) Keep the premises well-illuminated, both inside and out.

5.) Take special precautionary measures at opening and closing times and have more than one person responsible for opening and locking up the business.

6.) Take special precautions when handling and transporting cash.

7.) Screen employees thoroughly and involve employees in security planning and execution, but also keep the danger of information leaks in mind. Stick to a need-to-know basis.

Devise a security plan, including ways to raise alarm in the case of emergency, and procedures to follow if suspicious individuals approach or enter the premises.

Cash protection techniques

“It is a fact that most armed robberies in shops and stores take place with information provided by employees or contractors in that store,” said Captain Magudulela.

Very few organised armed robbers will risk or face the risk of being apprehended if they are not well informed and know exactly when the cash is available, and where it is.

Bearing the above in mind, and by following the techniques set out below, armed robbers in stores and businesses will be drastically reduced.

Alarm systems

• Ensure that you have a good alarm system that is well maintained.

• Ensure that the alarm is connected to an armed response company.

• Ensure that you have static buttons placed in strategic areas of your store, e.g. in the cash office or strong room.

• Ensure that you have enough portable panic buttons that are worn by all members of management at all times.

• Ensure the panic buttons are tested weekly.

Opening and Closing Procedure

• Never open or close your store the same time every day.

• Try not to follow the same route to your store every day.

•Never open the store on your own.

• Ensure that someone armed with a panic button monitors the opening and closing procedure away from the store.

• Ensure that you have adequate lighting at your entry point.

Safes

• Ensure that you have an adequately fortified drop safe.

• Ensure that the keys to the drop safe are not kept together or on the premises at the same time, except when cash collections are taking place.

Cash collection

• Ensure that cash is continuously picked up at the tills throughout the day.

• The cash office must continuously count and drop the cash into the drop safe.

• Cash-ups must be staggered, and not done in one go.

• Never do full cash-up at the end of the trading day.