California Apparel News

In the wake of the brutal assault and “takeover” robbery of Nordstrom Rack employees in a Los Angeles neighborhood, security experts are stressing the need for proper training for retail employees to help avoid possible violence or injury in the event of an attack.

The Jan. 10 robbery started when three men forced their way into the West Los Angeles Nordstrom Rack store at 11 p.m. as employees were locking up the store. During the robbery, one employee was stabbed in the neck and another was sexually assaulted while the suspects searched the store for money and goods to steal. The suspects escaped the Nordstrom Rack as patrol cars arrived. LAPD announced the arrest of five suspects on Jan. 14.

Robberies happen every day, said Joseph LaRocca, president and founder of Los Angeles–based security consulting firm Retail Partners. “Most robberies do not result in injury,” he said. “That is why we say, ‘De-escalate the situation and be compliant.’” LaRocca also is the former vice president of loss prevention for the National Retail Federation.

In general, LaRocca recommended the retail staff remain calm during a robbery and hand over property and money. “Saving and protecting human life is the most important priority,” he said. One of the only times recommended to take physical action against robbers is if they attempt to abduct somebody.

It’s also important to call the police and take mental notes of what the robbers look like—if they have any tattoos or scars and what clothes they are wearing—so robbers can be identified to police, LaRocca said. It also is crucial to hand over video and data from security cameras that might have recorded the crime.

If it is safe, and if not endangering to others, staff should escape a robbery by running out a back door. If police take control of a store after a robbery, store employees should expect to be detained because at the moment police do not know who is employed at the store and who is robbing it, LaRocca said. Police also will need to interview witnesses to investigate the crime.

It is also recommended to take proactive measures, LaRocca said. Report suspicious people who are “casing” the store—visiting the store often but showing no interest in merchandise. Instead they take mental notes of where security cameras are located, the store’s entries and exits, and who is working there.