The Armed Robbery Epidemic: How to Stay Safe

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The Armed Robbery Epidemic: How
to Stay Safe
Read Hayes, PHD, Director, Loss Prevention Research
Council; Russell Hinds, Senior Manager, Facility
Security, Walmart, Global Security; Kevin Larson, Sr.
Manager, Corporate Loss Prevention, Kroger Company
and Robert Oberosler, SVP, Loss Prevention, Rite Aid
The Armed Robbery Epidemic: How to Stay Safe
Evidence-based Practice
Dr. Read Hayes, University of Florida/LPRC
Russell Hinds, Walmart
Kevin Larson, Kroger Company
Bob Oberosler, Rite-Aid

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The Scope and Scale of Retail Armed Robberies
• Robbery attempts put our employees, customers, and organizations at risk-
• Whether 1 or 100 robbery attempts per year
• The fear of crime also affects shopper and employee behavior
• D&D Daily using media reported robbery reports:
ROBBERY IS DEADLY SERIOUSROBBERY IS DEADLY SERIOUSROBBERY IS DEADLY SERIOUSROBBERY IS DEADLY SERIOUS
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The Scope and Scale of Retail Armed Robberies
• Robbery attempts put our employees, customers, and organizations at risk-
• FBI data: Robbery offenses were up 3.2 percent in 2016 over 2015, and 2015 robberies had an
increase of 0.6 percent when compared with the 2014 rate
• NIOSH warning: Types of work associated with large numbers of deaths and serious injuries
included the following: …working in retail and service businesses with a risk for robbery-related
homicide…
• CDC: multiple studies including Risk factors for robbery and employee injury in convenience stores

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LPRC Violent Crime Working Group: Armed Robbery Prevention Initiative
• Our objectives-
• Reduce crime attempts
• Reduce the severity of attempted robberies
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BANG!

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Before BANG!
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Program objectives:
1. Reduce crime attempts
2. Reduce crime event damage

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Program process:
1. Deter and disrupt criminal
offenders
2. Enhance retailer-L.E. situational
awareness and collaboration
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All crime starts with an offender making a decision.

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And decisions are based on perceptions.
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So our mission is to shape perceptions in order to influence
offender decisions.

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We shape perceptions by shaping the
immediate environment.
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We shape the environment by using situational crime prevention
tools making a crime attempt seem to be:
•Too difficult, and/or
•Too risky, and/or
• Not worth it
(Modes of Action)

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But to make these tools work, offenders must:
• Notice or otherwise know about it (see it),
• Recognize it (get it), and then:
• Be credible enough threat to alter their plan (fear it)
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We then layer our “protective
marketing” efforts:
• We pour our efforts into
these 5 zones
• We need to create an
impression of control to
dissuade their actions;
keeping in mind a
crime’s stages in these
zones

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Zones “Impression of Control” Points R&D
Zone/Offender View
• 5- Mass/social media
• 5 to 4- Drive-by
• 4- Parking lot entry
• 3- Store entry/exit points
• 2 to 1- Point of Sale
• 2 to 1- Pharmacy
• 2 to 1- Safe/Cash Office
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The first step is to analyze event video, spatio-temporal, and
other data for protective opportunities:
– Descriptive data
– Inferential data, including models
• Crime event variables- how, when, where
• Offender variables- why, who, from where, how recruited
• Locational/environmental variables- prior to the event

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STAGES STEPS “blue sky” RESPONSES
Preparation/Approach
Conceive need/want; Select target; Scout target; Get tools (e.g., weapon, disguise, transportation)
Select co-offender
Alter store exterior and interior to be obviously too difficult and risky to rob, as well as to appear
not worth it; also, use “dark web” sensors, media and social media to: 1. advertise the same; 2.
Detect possible crime plans; train staff to notice, and report possible pre-incident (scouting, etc.)
indicators; border fencing or tough hedge
Entering property Enter parking lot
Parking lot barriers; attendants; few entrances/exits; difficult for quick escape; obvious CCTV with
lighted signs; always on and responsive bright lighting; responsive visible warning signage; clear
view into the store; police/security presence indicators; anti-loitering sensors and sound;
Bluetooth/macID sensor; DNA spray signage; Smart plate reader; tidiness; bollards; roll-up doors;
police work/sub-station with signage
Entering store Enter building
Immediate, obvious time-release safe sign; obvious DNA spray sign; large specialized ePVM; entry
alert/chime, welcoming staff; and/or regular patrols to deter loiterers/scouts; security or police
ofcr; alert employees (with visible radios) greeting; anti-loitering devices
Approaching target POS/cash room/pharmacy
Special ePVM; signage about special safe; clear view from inside and outside store; anti-jump
counter top insert; “speed-bump”fixture to slow escape; obvious time-release safe; DNA spray
sign; ballistic glass barriers
Completing the robbery
Possibly display weapon; make demand; may threaten or use force; take possession of cash, meds or other
Cooperative employee training; video and audio analytics to detect suspicious behavior/words
and duress for alert; GPS tracker items; rehearse with police; improve CCTV and natural
surveillance (multiple angles) for detection, better prevention, and forensic use; smart safe; DNA
marked items
Exiting store
Exiting property
Exit building
Leave parking lot
Delay egress fire doors, 24 hour alarms (day alarm) and CCTV coverage / signage; DNA spray or
smoke screen
Limited exit options; attendants or other exit barriers; CCTV surveillance for conveyance, plate,
exit direction use
Aftermath Leave scene; use cash; use or sell meds or other items; consider another attack- where, when, how?
Item-tracking system activated; DNA; social media and street intelligence; surveillance of physical
and online fences, etc.; employee recovery; media relations; thorough post-event investigation
and data reporting for improvement and forensics; enhanced employee training
Steps in Armed Robbery Attempts and Associated Treatments
Kroger Company
Anti-Robbery Efforts
• Corporate R&D efforts
• Collaborative R&D efforts
– LPRC VCWG

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• LPRC Violent Crime Working Group
• What: Working together using science to reduce violent crime attempts
• Who: VCWG includes Kroger, Walmart, CVS, Rite-Aid, Walgreens, 7-Eleven, Target, Cap Index, City Gear, Publix,
Location, Inc. , Autozone, TJX, JC Penny, SOS, General Growth, Price Chopper, T-Mobile, Toys r Us, Verizon,
Meijer, Best Buy, Cititrends, Cracker Barrel, Ulta Beauty, Luxottica Retail, Tractor Supply, Ahold/Delhaize, USS,
Signet Jewelers Group
• How:
– Collaborative research initiatives, and sharing protective efforts lessons-learned
– Monthly calls and webinars; Field Visits and Summits; Impact Conference
• Robbery Summits
• Jacksonville- 2015
• Houston- 2016
• Baltimore- 2017
– 16+ retail chains
– Federal, state, local L.E.
• Review crime patterns
• Propose solution packages
• Form ongoing team

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• 4 LPRC VCWG Innovation Chains:
1. Parking Lot/Loitering/Panhandling Control
2. Burglary Control
3. Active Attacker
4. Armed Robbery Control
• First Link: LPRC/UF Innovation Lab- Tactics and Technologies Integration R&D
• Second Link: Field test- Initial Shopper/Employee/Offender Feedback for Adjustments
• Third Link: Field-test- Challenging Environment for Further Enhancement
• Fourth Link: Randomized Controlled Experiments; strong evidence and ROI metrics
• Armed Robbery Control Innovation Chain:
Zone 5 Zone 4 Zone 3 Zone 2 Zone 1
• First Link: iLab- Social/Trad media intel/disruption; parking lot sensors/deterrent cues; safe; GPS/Image/DNA
• Second Link: Gainesville and Jax: Walmart, 7-Eleven, CVS
• Third Link: Baltimore: 7-Eleven, Walmart, Rite-Aid, CVS, Kroger/Turkey Hill
• Fourth Link: TBA

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Kroger Company
Anti-Robbery Efforts
– Use best science and collaboration to deploy countermeasures
– Educate your associates
• Development of a Robbery Prevention and Awareness Training/Video
• What steps to take during and following a robbery
– Post Incident Action
• Discuss with LP team and key stakeholders
• Strategize on measures to take in future
• Keep accurate data and analyze trends
It’s going to happen….strive to protect them
Rite Aid
Anti-Robbery Efforts
• Safety always top priority
• Every tactic we deploy helps:
– hardens the target to deter robbery
– reduces the risk of injury/fatality
– minimizes amount of time robber(s) in store
– helps law enforcement apprehend

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• Robbery training video:
– All employees actions are natural with intention to be cooperative and get robber out fast
– “trained to give you want you want, and get out fast, don’t have to hurt anyone”
• Zone 1:
– Smart Safes FE – Bio Safes in Rx
– Cash Trackers- drawer, change funds, Rx bottles
– Quick Open feature on register
Rite Aid
Anti-Robbery Efforts

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• Zone 2:
– Mini PVMs eye level behind cashier or Rx at drop off and pick up
– Decals on doors – time delay safes
– Mini eye level PVMs with height strip camera on opposite side
Rite Aid
Anti-Robbery Efforts
Zone 2 – Counter Jumpers

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• Zone 4
– Exterior camera with blinking attention grabbing lights
– Wall pack lighting
– Highly visible guard with muscle suv/car parked in very noticeable positon
• Zone 4
– Parking lot lighting enhancements
– Landscaping Removal – 8’ – 2’- open view rule
– CCTV signs – can’t have too many
– Use of decorative Fencing and “Disney” fencing

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• Zone 3
– Wireless Pendant alarms- wireless pendants that active real time remote monitoring –
wireless pendants that activate GPS, Mic and alert to remote using smartphone
– Digital signature capture – just piloting
• Zone 5
– Working with state governments to direct judges to give longer jail sentences
– Work with state agencies to let Feds prosecute pharmacy robberies
– Reward of $5k or more every time – multiple purposes, with poster and new articles

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• Zone 5
– Work with agencies to use Press to influence – facing xx amount of years in prison –
– Closer real time collaboration with other retailers
– Longer range digital signature alerts – testing soon
– Use social media to spread message of rewards
– Influence the chatter using good actors- bad actors

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On March 9th at approx. 6:45pm, there was an attempted pharmacy drug theft at Rite Aid, Fullerton, Ca. An unknown dishonest customer jumped
over the drop off window and selected (3) bottles of Promethazine. The dishonest customer immediately exited the pharmacy and ran towards the
emergency exit. Unable to open the emergency exit with his hands full, the male ran to the front entrance. As the dishonest customer attempted to
exit the store he ran into the vestibule doors evading a store associate, causing him to drop the medication. There are no injuries to report at this
time. The robbery occurred in less than a minute via a counter jump
Suspect Name: Lxxxxx "@RenzYoungxxx" twitter
Suspect City: Pico Rivera
Suspect State: California
Suspect Country: United States of America
Scars, Tattoos, and Marks: Long hair, pony tail. Tall, slim stature. Around 6 foot.
Additional Data: I know Lxxxxxx from high school. He claims to be a rapper and constantly
references promethazine or "lean". I recognize him from his stature and hair and face from the
video.
Zone 5 “Chatter“
• 109,263 views
• nataliehatesyouleave it to instragram to find the criminals because the oc police are that bad at their job.
• barbellsnbartabsYou want someone to drop a dime?
• juan_825kLol
• thekushghost૩૩૩૩
• fuct_the_systemProps.to that guy. Good 4 him. He didn't hurt kno 1
• dom_ibar@nataliehatesyou that makes no sense. Almost all types of crimes are solved because because of witnesses and tips. Duh
• chriscorona_bruhOh my god I live near there
• l3ft_wingLmao this dumbass tried to jack Lean and he got the wrong Promethazine bottles without the codeine hahaha
• johnny_chingas86If you do a anonymous tip how you gona get paid..???.. Please explain..
• johnny_chingas86When your anonymous, do you get paid with anonymous money aswell..???
• cuiyang0011@chriscorona_bruh me 2
• steadygettingblown‫ححح‬‫ححح‬‫ححح‬‫ححح‬
• heymellowoutman_Lit
• prince2k15www.beasnitch.com
• therealcycoMain question is... where are the employees??
• youahoethaswhyiHahaha beasnitch.com how to lose ur life in 4 min.
• eddiemoney1904@l3ft_wing ૩૩૩ᖌʵ૩૩૩ᖌʵ૩૩૩ᖌʵ૩૩૩ᖌʵ
• apex_pedalerIt was Colonel Mustard in the Study with the Candle Stick. Don't tell anybody I told you. SHHHHHHHH!
• ls1adrianLmao dude busted a script probably got a whole pint of lean prescribed
• baropbopThe only crime hear is fashion related
• davidyi1234@chriscorona_bruh really? You live near there
• 0dannyyboyy0G just walked out with all the pints he could carry ૩૩૩૩૩૩૩૩૩૩૩૩

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Walmart
Anti-Robbery Efforts
Zone 1 Zone 2&3
• Use Existing Resources in a new way
– CCTV
– Security Services
• Leverage newer technology
– CCTV
• IP and 360
– Security Services
– GPS Tracking
• Analytics and Customer feedback
– Effectiveness
Zone 4 Initiatives

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Zone 4 Initiatives
Zone 5 Initiatives

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QUESTIONS…