Safety when collecting money

[CAnewbie]

I wanted to know what ideas are there to make collections safer. I've heard the suggestion of not making your collections on a set time/day, so a would-be robber can't scope out your routine. Also, I would think early mornings would be the safest time for collections, right? (before opening time)

Also, I've heard of owners using a toolbox to put the money in, or even using an empty box of detergent and fortifying it with a wood/metal box inside...then it looks like you're just walking out with a box of soap. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Anything else?

[Jefflange]

I always bring my dog with me.

[Howard]

If you want safety then by all means get a card system. There is no money in the machines and you empty the card machine from the back where no one can see you. People will have no idea when you collect or the fact that you are carrying money.

[Kari]

Safety is very important but you also want to make it obvious that you empty often so there is less chance of a break in. (Some people may disagree with me). The previous own to my store collected his machines only once a week. I do mine about 4 time a week. And I also make sure my coin changer is low every night. I only have one to deal with so it is not too bad. I just make sure I fill it back up when I come in in the morning.

Sometimes, when we collect, we take our dog with us who is a very loving Pit bull, but very protective. And we make sure the there is ALWAYS two of us. And we make sure we never collect late on a Friday or Saturday night. We will collect right after close but no later then that.

There is a really good string of posts that I came across last night. Search for the words "Buy a Gun" There was some pretty good advice there. Also there is a few Journal cover stories that I came across the other day talking about safety when collecting. The links are below.

Don't Be an Easy Target:
http://www.coinlaundry.org/04aprCS.pdf

Security:
http://www.coinlaundry.org/pdf/JuneCover.pdf

[millenniumplus]

Having a card system helps although now we collect vend/arcade change. We collect almost daily and not at any
scheduled time. We do however almost always collect day time when there are plenty of people going in and out.
There is safety in numbers as me, wifey, smith and wesson all go together. Also a deterient is a video survelliance
system with 9 (so to be 12) cameras and mini tv's spread throughout the store. We do have a handful of the local
police force that pop in every now and then to use our wdf service. We also spoke with our neighbors and so we
watch out for each other. After that we pray and consider ourselves fortunate that after 3 years no problems to date.

[petefritz]

Kari, I don't understand. If you can get by collecting once a week, as the previous owner did, why would you collect 4 times a week? Besides all that extra time and work, you open up the possibility of being robbed by 75%

[Kari]

Pete - I was there many times when the old owner would have to empty the washers in the middle of a busy saturday, because they were too full. He did not mind. He liked the attention. Also he loved for people to see him haul buckets of coins to his truck each week. I do not want that type of attention. Plus the reason that I have to empty so much is due to the fact that I own a car wash out side and it is my biggest money maker. There is a high chance of it getting broken in to and has many times in the past. If I am emptying all of my out side vending items, why not just empty it all. I do see your point and I may change my pattern in the future but right now having less coins in the machines is peace of mind.

[StoneColdKiller]

Sounds like Kari is seriously deep in the hood.

Good luck.

[Ronald]

I am open 24/7 and I start collecting when I get there in the morning or afternoon I have no set time as to be there I would only have to collect 2 times a week but as others have said I like to keep my money with me not in the machines.

I will collect with people in the store or not makes no difference to me on that.