Security advice for pub and bar owners during festive season

10th November 2011, 2:14pm

Mark Beale, the Flying Squad officer from the Metropolitan Police, is offering security advice to pub and bar owners to prevent robberies occuring this Christmas.

Beale says good security doesn't have to cost a fortune: "Many of you will already have safes, alarms, CCTV and an array of other security measures in place, but still face the risk of robbery. Where robberies do occur, if offenders are 'successful' in obtaining large amounts of cash and are not arrested, there is research which suggests that offenders will return to those premises."

Here are 12 tips on how to keep safe this Christmas

1. Good customer service puts off many criminals. They do not like to be seen or acknowledged by staff. Make sure staff greet or at least acknowledge everyone entering the pub.

2. Reducing the amount of money available in the till is a key prevention tip. A reasonable limit is about £200 per till, however you need to keep as little cash as possible in the tills. Clearing the till frequently is good practice. (Most robberies are counter demands where cash is taken from tills, reducing the amount available means offenders are less likely to return on another occasion.)

3. Check all your security equipment daily. Make sure your CCTV images are recorded and are of good quality.

4. Do not bank at regular times and if possible change routes when going to the bank. Park in an area covered by CCTV and be aware of your surroundings at all times.

5. Your SNT (Safer Neighbourhood Team) are your local police officers. Visit the Met Police Website at www.met.police.uk put your postcode into the SNT finder box and you will be given a telephone number and details of the officers on the team. Speak to them, build a rapport with them and tell them about suspicious events / persons / vehicles. Ask them what is happening in the local area.

6. Now that you have met your SNT you need to have something to tell them. Keep an exercise book where you can record the date / time and brief details of any suspicious persons / vehicle or incidents. This will assist when looking back at CCTV and make sure that nothing gets missed.

7. Get to know other publicans in the area. Offenders will look at a number of premises before picking a target. Get to know your neighbours, exchange telephone numbers and call each other about any suspicious persons or activity. This may assist police as well as we will be able to track movements of offenders.

8. Many establishments use signage to tell offenders some of the security measures they have in place. (These can be seen outside banks and travel agents among others.)  This means offenders may look for an easier target. By law you must have CCTV signage, if it is in use, but advertise the fact that you use safes that staff do not have access to, if this is the case.

9. Cashing up should never take place when the pub is open. Once the pub is closed and all doors have been locked ensure that all customers have left the premises. 10. During cashing up no external doors should be opened, not for rubbish removal, allowing staff to leave etc. Cashing up should take place in a secure and locked room, preferably covered by CCTV.

10. If you are fortunate enough to be in a pub watch area, and are not already a member, join. Pub Watches are an excellent way of sharing best practice and information on local crime trends. Some schemes have radio systems and I would encourage you to consider adopting the radio scheme as they tend to be effective tool for reducing all types of crime. If there is no scheme ask your SNT about starting one in your area.

11. Opening and closing times are always vulnerable times. Two people should be available to open/close. The first person should stand well away from the premises with a mobile phone whilst the second person opens the premises. Once the premises have been checked a pre arranged sign should be given to the other staff member that all is well. If the sign is not given the second person should call police. Reverse this process for closing.

12. Your security procedures should be part of your daily work and not seen as separate and less important than normal day to day business.

Beale concluded: "The advice above is based on sound prevention principle and has been very effective in other retail type establishments. For more information please visit the business crime prevention section of the Metropolitan Police Website at www.met.police.uk."

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