While the actions you take during a robbery are critical to ensuring the health and wellbeing of yourself and those around you, the things that you do immediately following the event are equally as important. In the event of a robbery, having the knowledge you need to act accordingly even after the event has transpired will help to minimize risk and prioritize safety.
Never Chase An Offender
The most important thing to remember regarding procedure following a robbery is to never chase an offender after the robbery has transpired. You should never feel compelled to pursue the robber or attempt to recover the money or property stolen during the event. This action should be relegated to the police, who are responsible for apprehending offenders safely without putting others in danger.
This being said, there are active steps you can take in the time after a robbery has occurred to secure your petrol station and keep customers and employees out of harm’s way.
Practical Steps To Take After A Robbery At Your Petrol Station
Any steps taken following a robbery should be performed only after it is safe to do so. These steps include but are not limited to the following actions:
Check For Injuries
Following a robbery, first priority should be to scan the immediate area for anyone who may have been affected or injured during the event. Care should be administered immediately, and emergency medical services should be called if injuries have been sustained.
Secure The Location
Following a robbery, you should take active steps to secure the location of the offense. This includes steps such as placing closing signage around your service station, as well as activating any hold-up or personal duress alarms.
Only authorised persons should be allowed entry to your business following a robbery.
Alert The Police
Following a robbery, it’s critical to call the police on 000 as soon as possible. Providing them with details such as the offender’s escape route and description will help aid them in their investigation into the crime. Any security footage of the event should be provided to police by an appropriately qualified technician.
If required at your location, complete any post incident forms such as description forms with any clearly remembered information. Keep this information confidential as to assist in the following investigation.
Employee Assistance Programs
Employee assistance programs are free services offered to employees that provide a range of advice, assistance, and counselling, especially in the event of a traumatic event such as a robbery. As an owner, you should be aware of what support services are available in your area to provide your team with the support they need.
Stay Prepared With The ServoSkills Staff Training
Knowing what to do once a robbery has occurred is equally as important as knowing how to act during the event. Having a good understanding of all parts of navigating emergency situations such as robbery will help you to minimize risk to your business and avoid harm in the event of an emergency.
To learn more about what to do to protect your petrol station from crime, as well as what procedures to take during and after a robbery occurs, visit the ServoSkills Training Course. Our Armed Robbery Training course provides our members with a detailed look into step by step instructions for owners and employees to help you and your team feel prepared no matter what life throws at you.