Restaurant Invasion Robberies

[Bziap]

Okay guys I have a question: I work in a restaurant in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles. We were burglarized this week and the detectives (LAPD) told us about a strain of restaurant invasion robberies that have been happening near our store. It’s a fairly nice restaurant, however not quite as fancy as some of the others that have recently been hit. The detectives said that the suspects come in through the back door (usually two of them) and hold a server hostage (with a gun pointed towards their head) while he demands other servers to requisition belongings from guests and money from the restaurant.

Here is my question: as a server (civilian) what should I do in a situation like this?
What should a police officer (in plain clothes) do in similar situation?

I probably wouldn’t try to disarm the suspect (even if I could) if there was a second gunman. So hypothetically, am I to comply and hope they leave? 4 months of Krav Maga for nothing! Haha (I’m level 2 now by the way :D)

[George]

Where I work, it is store policy to just comply with the robbers orders. If they do not have a mask on, try to see if they have any facial marks(scars, beards, or such) and also note their eye color, hair color, height, body size, and any kind of voice accent they may have. But do not stare at them. A quick glance or two should be enough to get most of the above.

Whatever you do, do not argue or try anything with them, as you'll most likely end up getting yourself or someone else killed.

Also note, I'm not an LEO, but that is what we are required to do at my current job.

[retdetsgt]

Never being willing to die for somebody else's money.

It's pretty rare that these guys intend to kill anyone although they will if they feel threatened. The worst thing they do sometimes is rape females that are there. That's a horrible crime and I'm not minimizing it, but it beats dying. But usually all they want is the money and to leave safely.

[Nole795]

I agree, there is nothing that you carry in your wallet or register worth your life. I have worked many robbery calls where the suspect takes what he wants and leaves without any injuries to the victims.

[txinvestigator1]

I don't want to die for someone elses money either; however, I am not going to be tied up or otherwise placed in a position where I could be shot in the back/head etc.

[retdetsgt]

I don't want to die for someone elses money either; however, I am not going to be tied up or otherwise placed in a position where I could be shot in the back/head etc.

Trouble is though is that if there are more than one, the odds of you surviving a shootout are slim as hell. Considering the number of armed robberies that happen everyday, the percentage of them where people are killed, or even shot are minimal. In fact, just about all the shootings I ever saw that occurred in armed robberies were where someone wanted to be a hero and pushed the bad guy into shooting.

When I was working, we had maybe 5 to 15 armed robberies every day of the week. We had an armed robbery with a shooting, maybe twice a year. And as I said, almost every time it was where the person being robbed attempted to fight or otherwise threaten the robber. They don't go in there to kill people, they go there to get money.

[seltzer]

Here's what I think you should do. Be quiet, give them anything they ask for, stay out of their way, don't argue with them. Get a detailed description of them imbedded in your head to give to LEO's later. Be the best witness you can.
As an unarmed civilian, trying to unarm them is asking for trouble, IMO. As was stated earlier, I wouldn't want to take one to the head defending someone elses money/property.

[txinvestigator1]

Trouble is though is that if there are more than one, the odds of you surviving a shootout are slim as hell. Considering the number of armed robberies that happen everyday, the percentage of them where people are killed, or even shot are minimal. In fact, just about all the shootings I ever saw that occurred in armed robberies were where someone wanted to be a hero and pushed the bad guy into shooting.

When I was working, we had maybe 5 to 15 armed robberies every day of the week. We had an armed robbery with a shooting, maybe twice a year. And as I said, almost every time it was where the person being robbed attempted to fight or otherwise threaten the robber. They don't go in there to kill people, they go there to get money.

I don't think people found in back rooms bound and shot in the back of the head were resisting. Or people forced to kneel and then shot in the back of the head.

When it come to someone executing me, I din't think I'll play the odds.

My point is if they run in, grab money and flee then I am fine being a good witness, but if they start tying people up, etc., thats when a new game plan may need to happen. I might get shot, but a bad guy or 2 will also.

[retdetsgt]

I don't think people found in back rooms bound and shot in the back of the head were resisting. Or people forced to kneel and then shot in the back of the head.

And that happens extremely rarely and are usually publicized nationally. I agree there is a point where I would resist, but probably make a run for it rather than start shooting if there are more than one. Hitting a moving target is hard enough for an expert shooter and these guys are far from that. Sending one or more of them to their maker isn't much consolation for me getting killed though.

The original question said nothing about tying anyone up.

[txinvestigator1]

And that happens extremely rarely and are usually publicized nationally. I agree there is a point where I would resist, but probably make a run for it rather than start shooting if there are more than one. Hitting a moving target is hard enough for an expert shooter and these guys are far from that. Sending one or more of them to their maker isn't much consolation for me getting killed though.

The original question said nothing about tying anyone up.

Agreed, there is just a point where you can not be a sheeple. ;)

[retdetsgt]

Agreed, there is just a point where you can not be a sheeple. ;)

I'd be more likely a deer or a mountain goat unless I was pretty positive I was going to win the gun fight! :eek:

[Valor55]

Keep the back door locked and don't open it for anybody. Get video surveillance and put put up signs to the effect. Maybe they won't want to risk going into your place. Restaurants with discounts for emergency personnell often attract lots of cops for meal time. Lots of that kind of traffic in and out may disqualify your restaurant during a casing by the bad guys.

If you get hit do whatever necessary to live. Do what they tell you to do. Do not provoke them.

If you get into a position where you think they are going to execute you and you know that inaction WILL definitely lead to death then you need to do whatever you think is appropriate to save your life if you want.

If cooperation is going to save your life and the lives of others do it. If it escalates to where cooperation will lead to your death then you have another situation.

[ChesCopPodz]

Agree with all above. It isn't your money and isn't worth dying over. Give them everything they want and ask if they want fries with that

[Bziap]

Good points. It’s not worth risking your life and the lives of innocent people for a few hundred dollars. And no situations are similar; hence you really have to see how the situation moves before trying something potentially deadly. But then again you can never know if the robber’s intention was to kill any witness’.

[retdetsgt]

But then again you can never know if the robber’s intention was to kill any witness’.

Pretty rare that happens, fortunately. Most are drug users who just want money for more. The least fuss the better for them.