In an effort to increase safety around businesses, Maple Valley Police has recommended business owners consider the following.

• Do not cancel alarm calls Allow the police to respond.

• Have at least two employees open and close the business

.• Do not release personal information to strangers.

• Keep purses and personal valuables locked in desks or lockers.

• Install a robbery alarm system.

• Place a surveillance camera behind the cash register facing the front counter.

• Vary times and routes of travel for bank deposits.

• Don’t use marked “moneybags” that make it obvious to would-be robbers you are carrying money for deposit.

• Keep a low balance in the cash register.

• Place excess money in a safe or deposit it as soon as possible.

• Keep your business neat and clean. A tidy, orderly place of business isinviting to customers, but not to robbers.

• Know who is in your business and where they are. Watch for people who hang around without buying anything. Also, be aware of suspicious activity outside your place of business. Write down license numbers of suspicious vehicles if visible from the inside of your business. If you have a cellular phone equipped with a camera, photograph suspicious individuals or suspicious vehicles with the attached license number if possible.

• Make sure the sales counter can be seen clearly. Do not put up advertisements, flyers, displays, signs, posters, or other items on windows or doors that might obstruct the view of the register from inside or outside your business. The police cruising by your store need to be able to inside of your business.

• Try to greet customers as they enter your business. Look them in the eye and ask if they need assistance. Your attention can discourage a robber.

• Keep your business well-lit inside and outside. Employees should report any burned-out lights to the business owner or manager. Keep trees and bushes trimmed so they do not block any outdoor lighting.

• Encourage the police to stop by your business.• Use care after dark. Be cautious when cleaning the parking lot or taking out the trash. Make sure another employee inside the business keeps you within eye contact while you are involved in work details outside of your business.

• If you see something suspicious, call the police.  Never try to handle it yourself.

• Handle cash carefully. Avoid making your business a tempting target for robbers. Keep the amount of cash in registers low. Drop all large bills right away. If a customer tries to pay with a large bill, politely ask if he or she has a smaller bill. Explain that you keep very little cash on hand.

• Use only one register at night. Leave other registers empty and open. Tilt the register drawer to show there is no money inside.

• Leave blinds and drapes partially open during closing hours.

• Make sure important signs stay posted. For example, the front door should bare signs that say, “Clerk Cannot Open The Time Lock Safe.”