Example: A costumer threatens violence just before closing time
Ulla and Klaus are the last employees at work at a grocery shop. They have to tidy up in the back room and balance the cash registers. They have been together in this situation many times before and have never experienced any unpleasant situations.
But while Klaus is in the back room and Ulla is about to close up, a final customer enters. Out of the blue, the customer starts to shout and threatens to hit Ulla if she doesn’t give him the money in the till.
Klaus comes running in from the back room and realises that they are being robbed. Klaus and Ulla choose to do what the man says. They give him the money from the register in a plastic back. It all happens very fast, and after a few more seconds the man has left the shop and gone away.
The two colleagues are left in shock. It takes some time for them to recover and collect themselves. Then Klaus goes and locks the door while Ulla calls the police, then their boss.
Some situations are very difficult to prepare for. This includes violence and robbery at the shop.
When is it robbery? When is it theft?
- Theft: It’s theft – or shoplifting – when someone takes products or other items from the shop and leaves without paying for them and when the situation does not develop into violence or into a situation where the thief threatens to use violence.
- Robbery: If the thief uses violence (for example, pushing or hitting) or threatens to use violence, the situation becomes a robbery. For example it’s a robbery if someone demands money from the cash register and threatens to beat up the staff if they don’t comply.
A simple shop theft can turn into a robbery if the situation develops and the thief behaves threateningly or aggressively.
Statistically speaking, in Denmark, robberies in shops rarely involve knives or other weapons. The offender will usually keep to verbal threats or will grab a random item from the shop and use it to threaten violence.
Be prepared for a robbery
A robbery or attempted robbery is usually a violent experience for everyone in the shop, and as an employee you can’t know beforehand how you’ll react in the situation.
It’s important that all of you at the shop know how to protect yourselves and your colleagues in the event of a robbery. The employer is responsible for ensuring that employees receive the required instruction and training.
If you have agreed beforehand what to do in the event of a robbery, then there’s a better chance that everyone will do the right thing to prevent the situation from getting out of control or someone from getting hurt. Knowing what to do can help minimise the negative consequences for yourself and for others involved in a robbery.