Security upgrades, awareness key to reducing robbery risks

With the fear of robbery hitting the Springfield area, many business owners are looking for new ways to protect their companies.

In 2002, robberies dropped by 22 percent (from 262 to 204), according to the Springfield Police Department's Uniform Crime Report. But in the last three months, at least 15 different businesses have been robbed.

Matt Brown, public information officer for the Springfield Police Department, said companies can protect themselves by increasing awareness, adding new security equipment and upgrading to digital systems. Being a good witness helps the police as much as anything.

"What really helps us is the details. It is very easy to say the person was about 6 feet tall, weighed about 175 pounds and had brown hair; that's 75 percent of the male population in Springfield. What we need is things like he had a scar beneath his left eye, he had a piercing in his nose or his ear, his eyes were this color we need the details," Brown said.

Smillie's IGA, at 1421 S. Glenstone Ave., was robbed March 4 for the first time in 10 years. By adding a new security system, owner Bill Smillie hopes to get more details from cameras. Smillie is adding inside and outside camera surveillance with a VCR back-up that can be monitored by remote access.

"In this case the police asked, Do you have videotape? Have you got the guy on camera?' and the answer was No,' but the new answer is going to be Yes,'" Smillie said.

Troy Carson, operations manager for Brown Derby stores, said his company is looking for new ways to protect itself after the store at 1839 E. Bennett St. was robbed Feb. 25, marking the chain's first robbery in nearly two years. All 18 Brown Derby locations have surveillance cameras, but Carson said more security may be necessary.

"As far as being robbed, nobody anticipates or wants this, and we are definitely stepping up security systems; maybe looking at more cameras on the outside of the store to catch vehicles, or if they're on foot, which direction to go and stuff like that. We are in the process of making further steps on this," Carson said.

For a company that already has equipment, making the switch to digital can help police tenfold, Brown said.

"The pictures that we get back, although they do help us, the quality is so poor in some of these older systems that really we get a picture of a blurred individual, so if you can upgrade to a digital that's great," Brown said.

Jim Brandenburgh, executive vice president and CFO of Empire Bank, said his bank recently made the cost-effective switch to digital and is very happy.

Empire's new digital video recorder allows Brandenburgh to monitor eight different branch locations from his office on South Glenstone Avenue. Each location has up to 16 cameras that can be viewed live or reviewed after a transaction takes place.

"If we have a bank robber, we can have his picture to the FBI in three or four minutes. Otherwise it might take all morning to get the picture," Brandenburgh said.

The last time Empire was robbed was Oct. 21, 2001, Brandenburgh said.

Kevin Worley, sales manager with Atlas Security, said digital photos of suspects cannot be altered without disturbing a digital watermark placed on every picture. This feature allows the digital picture to hold up in a court case, Worley said.

Color or black-and-white cameras can be used with the digital recorder. Jim Wade, president of Atlas Security, said a black-and-white camera with a varifocal lens costs approximately $300. A similar color camera costs approximately $400.

Prices for a digital video recorders start at $1,000 to $2,000 and are rapidly replacing the VHS recorders that cost about $600. Wade said most digital recorders allow for multicamera use, unlike older recording devices that require a multiplexer to monitor more than one camera.

One of the most popular surveillance cameras today is the size of a nickel. These cameras can be used indoors or outdoors, and some also have low-light capabilities. Larger pan-tilt-zoom cameras can cost thousands of dollars and give retailers the option of zooming in on suspects. Wade said a company can spend any amount on security, depending on how much is needed.

"I've seen wholesale things, cameras as cheap as $10 and if that's what someone wants to buy then you can get them, but you're probably going to replace it in about a month," Wade said.

Charles Thomison, director of insurance for Empire Insurance Agency, said security equipment can save a business money on insurance premiums.

"Any property policy, whether it's a homeowners policy or a business owner's policy, they're going to get discounts or a reduced premium if they have a security-alarm system," Thomison said.

Brown recomends any type of security device.

"Put something in there, even if it's poor quality. Something is better than nothing," he said.

Inexpensive security measures include placing a height measure near the door to get the exact height of the suspect and setting aside money to be handed over in case of a robbery.

"Have a stash of robber money' in your cash register where you have marked the money and recorded all the serial numbers." Brown said, "If we see a certain area where the money is spent, that will help us narrow down where the person lives."

Even with new technology and well-trained employees, determined robbers will continue to commit crimes. The best solution for each business is to deter the criminal, Wade said.

"Observation, obviously, that is not a deterrent, but if people walk into a building and they see cameras, or it's on the door that they are being taped, (i.e.) video equipment is being used, and they walk in and see monitors, a lot of times that is enough to keep some of them out. (They will say) Well, let's go pick a place that doesn't have something like this,'" Wade said.