Before modification by HyogaRott at 26/03/2013 01:35:32 PM
The four times someone has had a gun or claimed they had a gun in my store to rob us, they weren't in the store long enough to see whether others were armed or not. I have been fortunate enough to not be there, but we do all watch the footage. The criminals that come in our store do what they have to do and run. My location has a reputation for positively IDing and deterring scum. Rarely in the last few years has many of them been in the store long. And I talk about all forms of criminals in my store, not just armed robbers. But, the ones that have robbed us, haven't spent my time in the store and they are always intent on the cashier and not what is occurring around them.
Generally speaking the criminal does check out any other patrons, and if they see something they don't like go elsewhere. This happened the first time with me when a group of people came in at exactly the right time and the scum-bag went to the store next door instead. The second time I was looking straight into into the guys eyes when he was trying to make up his mind (BTW I'm 6'5" and and athletic 220, a nice guy, but at first glance I do not fit the category of "victim"
. He decided to try elsewhere also and went back to his buddy's car (which they had backed into a parking spot at the far end of the building, my first clue they were up to no good, could they have been MORE obvious. Amusingly enough that prevented them from seeing the cop car that had parked on the other side of the building to do paperwork). I do not know the circumstances that occurred with my parents as they have never told me the details, and my personal sample is way to small to make absolute conclusions from. However, there have been studies, and they support what I mentioned before.
Of course none of that matters with the truly drugged out or crazy. If one of them come in your odds of death (or worse) go way up and there aint much you can do to prevent them from trying, they just don't care. The only chance you have is either being able to physically overpower them or someone else being there who can, but someone is getting hurt, probably badly.