Guidance

A robbery occurs when a person uses violence or the threat of violence to take another person’s property.

An armed robbery has occurred if an offender uses a firearm, imitation firearm, offensive weapon, explosive or imitation explosive. The legal definition may differ in your jurisdiction.

Keep calm.

During an event, be situationally aware of where the offender(s) are.

If possible place a barrier between yourself and them.

Context based, assess escape options.

Assess tactical options, jurisdiction dependent.

Offender status

If you contact emergency services, police, you may be asked whether the offender(s) are still present or not.

You may be asked their descriptions including:

– Sex: male or female or other

– Approximate age

– Height

– Build

– Clothing worn, including top and pants

– Anything carried

– Scars / marks / tattoos

– Last direction offender(s) seen traveling

– Any vehicles used – make/model/color/licence plate

Note any weapons used including type, description, color.

Post event

If you are in immediate danger or a crime is currently occurring, contact emergency services, police.

If there was physical contact during the robbery, check whether you have any injuries.

If injured, conduct a pat down, running your hands over the area of the suspected injury area.

If injured call emergency services at the earliest opportunity.

Ensure your injuries are documented and photographed.

Activate Help in Core Lite and alert your contacts that you need assistance.

Reporting

If you are not injured, take an assessment as to your location and what was stolen.

Note the time of the event and your location.

Take a photograph of the clothes you were wearing, for CCTV comparison.

Make notes of anything that was said by the offenders, their person as previously detailed.

Consider whether you report the matter to police. It is your decision as to whether it is reported. This however may be dependent on the laws in your jurisdiction.

You may be asked by police to provide a witness statement and description of the offender(s) at the earliest opportunity, while the event is still clear in your memory.