City of St. George, Utah :: Robbery Prevention Tips

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175 East 200 North

St. George, UT 84770

(435) 627-4000

November 21, 2009

Police Department 200 East 265 North St. George, UT 84770 (435) 634-5000
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Robbery Prevention Tips

When I started with the police department 22 years ago, there were about 24,000 people in St. George. Now that figure is nearly triple, depending on who’s giving the numbers. The crime statistics have followed suit, with the numbers increasing just as dramatically.

In light of the recent robberies, we need to ask ourselves some questions. “Why are these happening?” “Can we do anything to stop robberies from happening?” and if so: “How does the suspect pick his target?” “What can we do to take our business out of the selection?”

We have information that suggests that robbers pick their targets before hitting them. They don’t want a hard target, they want to get in and get out with something, be it cash or property. They have checked out several locations before going back and hitting one. At some places they have taken cash, at others they have taken handguns and electronic equipment. In most instances they have simply taken and left. In other instances they have assaulted the employees or residents and threatened them with future violence prior to leaving. So what can we do to “harden” ourselves so they don’t pick us?

Visibility: Don’t put posters up that obscure the view into or out of the windows. Prune bushes back, use after-hours exterior and interior lighting, so that a passerby (such as a police officer) can see readily what is going on.
Hiding places: be aware of corners, stairwells, basement window wells, air conditioning units and other places that could hide a person. Check these spots out as you arrive and leave, and never go in or leave alone. Leave with another employee or have someone meet you or drop you off.
Greet every person who enters your business. Not only good customer relations, this lets the person know you have paid attention to them.
Have a digital video system that will render good photos or images, and make sure they are operating correctly. If you have VHS, make sure there is a tape in the VCR!
Make sure that your alarm system works properly and that the button cannot be tripped accidentally. Test it periodically to make sure that it really works.
Keep a suspicious persons/incidents notebook. Write these things down and keep the book. Fill it up and start another. Crimes have been solved by someone who referred back to a recorded description and offered it to police when they later heard of a crime.
Be Aware! If you are a customer or an employee, or just out talking a walk, be aware. Really “see” what is going on around you. Someone checking out a business as a potential target “looks suspicious.” Report this type of suspicious behavior immediately to the police by calling 634-5000.
If you get hit, call 911 immediately. Don’t wait! Don’t call your spouse, or the manager, or the owner before calling 911! If you have a panic alarm, use it as soon as you can safely do so!
Have the police department come to your business and do a robbery seminar at a staff meeting. It takes about 45 minutes. And it’s not just banks they are hitting.

We have received calls of suspicious persons a half hour after they have been seen, and the caller felt like they should have called but “talked” themselves out of it. Good information, but a half hour too late. Always follow these hunches and you’ll be right 90% of the time. The chances that a police officer will be at the intended target of a robbery at the time it occurs is very small. But there will be other people around, people that can and do see the robber as he is coming or going. We need you and your information. We need you to be aware.

Craig Harding
Public Information Officer
St. George Police Department

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