What kind of store? A local Cricket phone outlet has a German Shepherd in the back–they only accept cash. Bullet-proof glass can be used in some applications, or even just a good hunk of Lexan to stand behind when doing cash transactions. One liquor store owner, an ex-cop, sits in the back room with a shotgun as does the owner of a neighborhood fish market. Everybody knows what that two-way mirror means. Might want to try a two-way mirror in a boxed out safe room area with a steel door, even if it is just for effect, see?
For $75 per person you could get personnel their own pro tazers. That’s fantastic for non-lethal weaponry that will drop your perp. Ditto a holster with a fat can of mace, as one cafe waitress on the highway packs. That’s an easy 15 foot range. Tazers and mace work well on drugged out psychos who won’t stop even if you shoot them. Those kind act kamikaze fast, by the way, so be prepared to “fire” and not wait for “ready, aim…”
It is imperative you do something at once, something visible. Your store is now known for having a wad of cash on hand. It is common to get double-dipped, robbed again fairly soon by the same perps. This experience was a blessing in disguise because now you are ready. Review your cash handling protocol. You can get a security company to come by and guard you while you come out with cash. One system is to carry the real cash out in a fast food sack.
Get some game cameras from your local hunting outlet, ones with high resolution lenses. From $60-200, these are battery operated, rugged, take fantastic pictures with IR/infrared light even in low light, and are much cheaper and more reliable than hard-wired systems. They can take loads of photos if you get a big memory card. They trigger when they sense movement. Just erase the internal memory card at the end of the week if nothing goes wrong. Bushnell’s has screw holes to securely mount, and lock lugs to tamper-proof the case and, anyway, thieves will not tend to figure out where the pictures are stored as with typical cameras with external memory. Run a cable into an old computer box anyway. They’ll take the box, not the pictures. Cameras are a wonderful deterrent, especially as those IR lights glow at night for all to get the picture, so to speak.
Announcer tones are handy for keeping everybody alert when new customers come in. Radio shack has one for $20 that runs on a 9V battery. Remote security company dialers like the “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up” dongles add to a sense of well-being. Concealed carry should be encouraged for all personnel. Taurus makes The Judge. While it is a hefty revolver, it takes a small shotgun shell. Get everybody permitted to discourage any lawsuits by criminals-turned-victims. Competence and judgment are needed. And of course, get plenty of liability insurance. As for good ol’ Catholic-style security, a ball bat has been the athletic equipment of choice. A Louisville Slugger is what the Redemptorist Brother/sacristan chose to carry in clearing and locking Our Mother of Perpetual Help Church, 333 Broadway, Kansas City. Come visit. It’s an exquisite church and you’re quite safe.
Saint Gertrude the Great’s convent was robbed–12th century Bavaria–and this mighty mystic gave Jesus an earful about what she thought He should do to the miscreant. Christ gave her a task instead, that of fasting and praying for the conversion of the $%^& thief. (Can you imagine crossing a Bavarian nun? Read LA POPESSA about Sister Pascalina, Piux XII’s right-hand nun, to get what I mean. It’s out-of-print but worth the hunt.) In that vein, OREMUS:
**Tender Baby Jesus, the Holy Innocents suffered a fate meant for You. Our Father gave the Blessed Virgin Mary the powerful and meekly obedient Saint Joseph to allay such dangers, giving him inspiration from the Holy Angels in his dreams as with beloved Daniel, who foretold Your coming. Let the Holy Spirit inspire us in preventing and avoiding danger; and bring us saintly aid with Saint Joseph’s intercession; and the direction and protection of the Holy Angels.
Bring that greatest of miracles, and receive our praise and thanks, for converting, in advance of any harm to us, those who would forfeit their eternal souls and endanger our peace, our lives and fortunes. Bring us Your peace that surpasses all understanding and receive our eternal, adoring gratitude, all for Your honor and glory. AMEN **
PS Don’t forget the sacramentals. Dose your place with Holy Water. Blessed St. Benedict medals with the encoded exorcism prayers go on every door and window. And plenty of green scapulars that seem to act as spiritual bug repellent. We fight not against men, but against powers and principalities, i.e., demons. St. Michael, protect and defend us.
PPS Don’t forget the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or similar desensitizing therapy by a pro if anybody is post-traumatically stressed.
