ROBBERY SECURITY IN PARTICULAR TARGET LOCATIONS (FROM ARMED ROBBERY IN AUSTRALIA - RESEARCH, INFORMATION AND PREVENTIVE CONSIDERATIONS, 1977 - SEE NCJ-53410)

• NCJ Number: 53414
• Author(s): R BONNEY
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 9 pages
• Corporate Author: Australian Institute of Criminology
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: Australia

Annotation

PHYSICAL LOCATIONS SUCH AS STREETS, TAXIS, AND SERVICE STATIONS ARE EXAMINED IN RELATION TO THE INCIDENCE OF ROBBERY AND ROBBERY SECURITY IN AUSTRALIA.

Abstract

IN VICTORIA, STREET OFFENSES ACCOUNTED FOR 23.5 PERCENT OF ALL ARMED ROBBERIES IN 1975 AND FOR 20.9 PERCENT IN 1976. IN NEW SOUTH WALES, THESE FIGURES WERE 18.9 PERCENT AND 23 PERCENT, RESPECTIVELY. GUIDELINES WERE FORMULATED FOR BANK SECURITY IN 1975, AND RECOMMENDATIONS WERE INCLUDED CONCERNING MONEY THANSFER SITUATIONS. BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN FOUND THAT MOST OFFENSES OCCUR BETWEEN 6 P.M. AND MIDNIGHT, STREETS SHOULD BE WELL LIGHTED. REGULAR ANALYSIS OF MUGGING DATA HAS RESULTED IN SEVERAL U.S. POLICE DEPARTMENTS DEPLOYING HIGHLY VISIBLE FOOT PATROLS AND POLICE CARS IN HIGH-RISK AREAS TO DETER ROBBERS. ARMED ROBBERIES IN TAXIS, NUMBERING 43 IN 1975 AND 33 IN 1976, PROBABLY ARE UNDERRECORDED IN VICTORIA AND NEW SOUTH WALES. SOME TAXI DRIVERS HAVE BEEN MURDERED, AND THE GENERAL DETERRENT VALUE OF HEAVY PENALTIES FOR ARMED ROBBERIES AND ASSOCIATED TAXI DRIVER MURDERS HAS NOT BEEN SUCCESSFULLY DEMONSTRATED. PROTECTIVE SCREENS ARE CONSIDERED TO BE OF MORE VALUE TO TAXI DRIVERS THAN HEAD RESTS. EVEN MORE EFFECTIVE ARE FULL-LENGTH SCREENS CONSTRUCTED OF BULLET-RESISTANT GLASS, WITH MONEY FOR FARES AND CHANGE PASSED THROUGH CHUTES. OTHER SUGGESTIONS ARE USE OF LOCKED STEEL BOXES IN TAXIS AND THE DROPPING OF EXCESS CASH AT THE BASE STATION FOR SAFEKEEPING. EDUCATION IS ESSENTIAL IN TEACHING TAXI DRIVERS TO AVOID ROBBERY-PRONE SITUATIONS. A SYSTEM HAS BEEN INTRODUCED IN CHICAGO, ILL., THAT ENABLES THE BASE STATION TO LOCATE A TAXI UNDER ATTACK. SERVICE STATIONS ARE POPULAR ROBBERY TARGETS IN BOTH VICTORIA AND NEW SOUTH WALES. PROBLEMS IMPLICIT IN THEIR OPERATION THAT MAKE THEM VULNERABLE TO ROBBERY RELATE TO HOURS OF OPERATION AND LONGER HOURS OF TRADING. IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA, LEGISLATION HAS BEEN INTRODUCED WHICH LIMITS THE NUMBER OF SERVICE STATIONS THAT MAY REMAIN OPEN AFTER HOURS. THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF THIS SYSTEM ARE DISCUSSED. SUGGESTIONS FOR HELPING TO MINIMIZE THE INCIDENCE OF ROBBERY AT THESE LOCATIONS ARE OFFERED. REFERENCES ARE CITED. (DEP)