The Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) offers the following information to help ensure you know what to do during and after a robbery has occurred. The HRPS also recommends these additional measures to minimize the risk of a commercial robbery.

In the Event of a Robbery

  • Do not do anything to provoke the suspect(s)
  • Call 9-1-1 as soon as it is safe to do so
  • Lock the door(s) and close the business immediately after the suspect(s) leaves
  • Do not let people walk over the area where the suspect(s) travelled
  • Do not touch or clean up anything that was disturbed
  • Remain calm. Try to remember what the suspect(s) touched, whether they were wearing gloves, and which direction they fled

Upon Discovery of a Break-In

  • Avoid entering the premises. Call police immediately.
  • Wait for police to clear the premises for possible remaining suspects
  • Do not open for business
  • If you must enter, avoid walking over the path(s) that suspects may have taken. Walk close to the edge of walls. Even if you can't see footwear impressions, they may still be present and visible to forensic officers.
  • Do not touch anything. Suspect fingerprints may be smudged or overlapped.
  • Avoid cleaning up evidence until a forensic officer has completed their examination and advised you can do so. 

Minimize the Risk of a Commercial Robbery

In Your Store

  • Install a high-quality video alarm system. Clean and inspect your system regularly. Retain several days of saved video surveillance. It is likely that someone connected to the crime has attended your store prior to the incident.
  • Angle cameras to record the cash area and all doors and windows
  • Position cash registers so they can be easily viewed by someone outside
  • Ensure that inventory lists are accurate and up to date. If items stolen during an incident have serial numbers, provide them to responding officers as soon as possible.
  • Maintain your store's exterior. Ensure mature trees and shrubbery are trimmed to improve sightlines around access points.
  • Maintain bright lighting both inside and out
  • Install window stickers, height markers, and cash handling stickers
  • Keep police emergency numbers by the telephone at all times
  • Keep side and service doors locked at all times. Do not use the back door.
  • Clean all glass surfaces and create a log of when cleaning was completed. This can assist police during an investigation with identifying fingerprints if a robbery occurs.
  • Keep floors clean to minimize the number of footwear impressions
  • Move interior and exterior displays or signage that obscure sightlines and could provide a potential hiding spot for a robber from store windows

Attentiveness and Interactions

  • Keep active and alert in the store. Do not be caught off guard.
  • Note possible hiding spots and escape routes around your business
  • Greet each customer as they enter the store. If a person appears to be loitering, ask them if they need assistance.
  • Watch for loiterers inside or outside, in car, or on foot. If you become suspicious about a person or vehicle, note the description, licence plate number, and contact police immediately.
  • Have deliveries made during evenings and night hours of operation to promote increased activity. Use the front door only.
  • If possible, encourage police vehicles, taxis and rideshares to use your business parking lot

Handling Money

  • Keep cash floats at a minimum. Use a drop safe so as not to keep large amounts of cash in the till(s).
  • Record the serial numbers and denominations of a small number of bills. Place some in the register(s) as well as in bank deposit bags. In the event of a robbery, these bills should be passed to the robber.
  • Do not count cash or open the safe in public view
  • Make regular bank deposits at irregular times. Do not establish a pattern for a robber.
  • When possible, make bank deposits during banking hours. Use unmarked packages to transport money.