Got a call 1st thing this morning from the landlord--Our store was broken into last night. Ran over to the shop and called the police, there is broken glass everywhere-police were here in 15 min. It seems all they took was the register-cut the electrical cord right through. A few hundred bucks and made one hell of a mess. Still waiting for the crime scene unit then well have to fix the glass. Sent my son out to scrounge small change so we can reopen. I'm glad no one wwas here when this happened ! The things I learn about being a florist!
break in
- Thread starter LORRIE
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I don't know if you leave your cash drawer open at night and take out the money but maybe it will be a good idea. Maybe the glass would be the only damage done. THe other thing there was a store who got broken in often, so now she has a sign at the front door and back door saying there is no cash on the premises.
Hope you get everything fixed alright.
Luc
Hope you get everything fixed alright.
Luc
Lady Biker Florist
Well-Known Member
Almost exactly what happend to us on Oct. 15th. We do not even use a cash register, but whoever did it knew right where to go. Of course, after the fact we now have a security gate in front of the door. Waiting for the permanent ones to be installed, getting them on the windows, too. Now we lock this place up like Fort Knox and leave no money visible. It is hidden well, NO one would EVER find it, sometimes we forget for a minute where it is. We were here though of course since this is also our home when they broke in at 5:00am. They were so fast that by the time my husband got out into the hall with the gun they were gone (about 20 seconds). I'm very thankful for that and also that Woodstock our maniac dog did not bark for some reason.
The glass clean-up is definitely the pits!
The glass clean-up is definitely the pits!
Intersting thing was I had felt "creepy" the last 2 friday nites at close( I always close to strip the register) strange people and all. Anyway I changed my Asst. Mgrs hours (a man) to have him in to close with me on Friday nights. So yesterday it was really slow . We figured I mights as well go home and take a break -I usually work 7 days- great idea. I left at 4:30 - took most of the cash to the bank but left enough to run the store til 6pm. Asst Mgr leaves at 6pm and leaves the cash in the register. So we lost $200 bucks.
Just found out that the hair salon in the shopping center across the street was smashed too. The guy coming to replace my glass got lost and wound up over there and noticed it--called the police-same MO.
Happy holidays!
Just found out that the hair salon in the shopping center across the street was smashed too. The guy coming to replace my glass got lost and wound up over there and noticed it--called the police-same MO.
Happy holidays!
Mikey the Flower Guy
It's a GREAT DAY to live, and love!
- Nov 10, 2002
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Lorrie....
I can tell you from experience, that you are NOT alone.
I DON'T know if you are the supicious type, I know I wasn't, BUT, isn't it weird, when you start getting these strange sensations that something like this, is about to happen...you're NOT sure why??
In the past few years, myself, as well as a few florists that I know, have been broken into, and after discussing the supposedly "random" acts, there is sometimes a common element....HOW COME the "perpetrator(s) know exactly where to find things", and the answer IS, the info comes from within.
I had ONE particular employee, who, just by coincidence, "happened to be working in THREE different flower shops" at different times, and EACH got broken into.....I finally figured it out, put it out into the florists "grapevine" and this person will NEVER AGAIN work in the industry.
We have SO LITTLE cash on hand these days.....look for "the signs".....
I KNOW how you feel....thanks for trusting us to share.....
I can tell you from experience, that you are NOT alone.
I DON'T know if you are the supicious type, I know I wasn't, BUT, isn't it weird, when you start getting these strange sensations that something like this, is about to happen...you're NOT sure why??
In the past few years, myself, as well as a few florists that I know, have been broken into, and after discussing the supposedly "random" acts, there is sometimes a common element....HOW COME the "perpetrator(s) know exactly where to find things", and the answer IS, the info comes from within.
I had ONE particular employee, who, just by coincidence, "happened to be working in THREE different flower shops" at different times, and EACH got broken into.....I finally figured it out, put it out into the florists "grapevine" and this person will NEVER AGAIN work in the industry.
We have SO LITTLE cash on hand these days.....look for "the signs".....
I KNOW how you feel....thanks for trusting us to share.....
My Dad was in retail over 40 years , he always left the til open so that from the street , the cash drawer could be seen open and empty , mine goes home with me every day , never leave anything other than a little bit of spare coin , if someone did manage to break into the house , need to go through dog, locked door , find a hidden safe and then ??, I suppose they might be able to carry it away, if they were strong enough.
George Simon
I Suck Cuz I'm Banned
Many years ago, I gave a demo of flowerSoft to a florist who was an ex-cop. A couple of weeks later he was killed during a robbery attemt when he tried to shoot it out with the robber.
I remember he had this huge, bound green-bar printout from the police department whre he could lookup an address and get the cross-streets. I thought about incorporating that into flowerSoft but at that time PCs did not have big enough hard drives to hold such a monster. Besides, I'd probably still be typing today!
I guess the moral of the story is if it happens to you, just let them have the money.
I remember he had this huge, bound green-bar printout from the police department whre he could lookup an address and get the cross-streets. I thought about incorporating that into flowerSoft but at that time PCs did not have big enough hard drives to hold such a monster. Besides, I'd probably still be typing today!
I guess the moral of the story is if it happens to you, just let them have the money.
To be honest I'm glad if it had to happen it happened this way- no one here- no one hurt. the total bill for this adventure is around $1000-not going to put a claim in on the insurance. Don't want them to cancel us and they are going crazy canceling people here in Florida.
Have to go buy a new register tomorrow morning, and call to have the lettering redone. On to Christmas...
Lady Biker is the gate working for you? Was it expensive? We are wired for an alarm but they got in and out so fast the police never would have gotten here in time. I think preventing entry is probably better.
Have to go buy a new register tomorrow morning, and call to have the lettering redone. On to Christmas...
Lady Biker is the gate working for you? Was it expensive? We are wired for an alarm but they got in and out so fast the police never would have gotten here in time. I think preventing entry is probably better.
Lady Biker Florist
Well-Known Member
Of all the possibilities I thought prevention was the best idea. The gate we have now is still the temp they put up when it happened. It is a local company that has been in business for longer than I have been alive (48 yrs.) and in same location a couple blocks from us. They are also our customer. I am paying $1070.00 and there is a lot of custom work to it. He is definitely giving me what he calls the local neighborhood price. They make all their stuff themselves. We are getting the windows covered also. Neal had them add an extra piece to the gate so we will have a regular lock and also a place to add a padlock, so it will be double the trouble and time to break in.LORRIE said:
The windows will be covered from top to bottom with spikes at the top. Neal is having them make one of the windows hinged that is in our bedroom in case of fire. Our bedroom door is very close to the back (side) door, but you never know. They will hinge it and then on the inside there will be a place for a padlock. You just break the window and use the key that will be hanging right there in the brick inside near the window and unlock the padlock and climb out. The window is narrow and tall and low to the ground so easy to get out. It will probably never happen, but again you never know. I'd hate to regret not doing it.
At first it was a real hassle as Neal also installed two (yes two) HUGE slidebar locks on the back (side) door. When we leave to go anywhere one of us has to go out the side door and around to the front and unlock the gate and the door. The other one of us has to put the padlocks on the end of the slidebar locks so no one can get out the back if they do in fact break in. Then that person just goes out the front and we lock the door and gate. We are used to it now and it is routine. When we get home we have to do it all in reverse.
Lorrie, I am glad also it happened just like it did. No one got hurt and all it cost us is about $600.00. Since there was a key in the drawer I got both locks replaced. So with the cash they got, the glass door replaced, the locks replaced and the money drawer I don't think $600.00 is bad. I also did not make an insurance claim, especially with a deductible.
I saw this as a huge wake up call. I truly felt very safe before. All brick building with very narrow windows. Good locks on both doors and a dog that barks at every noise. Well, it took the thief about 20 seconds to throw the rock that broke the glass and climb over the counter and grab the money and run back out the long way around. By the time Neal grabbed the nearby gun and got out into the hall it was over. After I saw that Woodstock is not dependable I felt very unsafe, but now I feel quite safe. It's going to be like a fortress when we're done. Winter is going to be a pain in the "you know what"! But you are in Florida so you will not have to deal with anything like that if you decide to get a security gate/windows.
My biggest reason for wanting prevention is because we live here. Prevention does nothing for someone who wants to steal from you when you are open. Nothing can actually prevent that short of remodeling your shop with bullet proof glass and never having contact with your customers. I will not live that way. If I am ever here alone at night or whenever we are closed I would really not feel safe without some kind of prevention.
I sure hope the best for you!
P.S. We also learned from the party store next door. They were robbed over the years a few times and every time someone broke their glass door. Finally the third time they got a security gate and no one has broken in since then.
flowerknife+us
New Member
About a month ago our daughter left the house that is located behind our store to get the bus for school @ 6:55 she came running back down to the house as our the front door of our store had been smashed. We called the police and waited 45 minutes outside in the cold for them to arrive. Nothing was missing nothing disturbed. Police made out a report and then told me to question the newspaper delivery people and told me to question our tenants when I see them. I pointed out to him that they were home and that he could question them , he said no thats o.k. just question them when you get a chance and call me with any info you find out. Can you imagine that he was asking me to do his job for him!! We replaced that glass with laminated safety glass, the kind that has the laminate as a core. Apparently, our tenant heard the glass break, did not know what he had heard that had woken him, he turned on his light to look out and see but did not see anything in the lot so he went back to bed. My thought is that the light coming on scared the perp. away.
We have been robbed before and all three times in the past have felt is was an inside job.
Our downtown location, we closed a few years ago, was robbed at gun point the woman on duty was 84, the gunmen put her in the closet and told her he would kill her if she came out. She stayed there out of fear for awhile before phoning us at the main location.
Another time we were held up the robber hit 3 florist in one afternoon. The re was a funny twist in this story, he took the bus to each location to do it.
Another time we were robbed they dragged the safe across the store as far from the tenants apts. as theyt could and crowbarred it open. It was one of those acient safes that stood 3 1/2 feet tall and weigh a few hundred lbs.
What is it about criminals...and why do they think they are going to make off with some big load of loot robbing a florist!!
Knifes wife
We have been robbed before and all three times in the past have felt is was an inside job.
Our downtown location, we closed a few years ago, was robbed at gun point the woman on duty was 84, the gunmen put her in the closet and told her he would kill her if she came out. She stayed there out of fear for awhile before phoning us at the main location.
Another time we were held up the robber hit 3 florist in one afternoon. The re was a funny twist in this story, he took the bus to each location to do it.
Another time we were robbed they dragged the safe across the store as far from the tenants apts. as theyt could and crowbarred it open. It was one of those acient safes that stood 3 1/2 feet tall and weigh a few hundred lbs.
What is it about criminals...and why do they think they are going to make off with some big load of loot robbing a florist!!
Knifes wife
With 17 years experience with National Cash Register (NCR) , we always recommend that you remove the paper money and hide it. Then leave the cash drawer OPEN this way, a break in will normally just take the change and assume that is all there is on premises. And they won't destroy or take the Cash register.
Pete
Pete
Knock on wood..... we haven't had too much trouble in the past few years. But year's ago we were robbed two nights before our graduation prom night. I was told.... as a joke.... they stole all my white sweethearts. But they did take some tools, an old rifle (no bolt) some old workgloves and cameras etc. The police thought they knew who did it, raided the house and found the loot which we did get back. The best part was when Dad went to the police station to identify the goods, there on the desk was a dozen red roses and a stuffed teddy bear. Apparently one of the thieves was thinking of his girlfriend and had stolen a dozen red roses, a vase and the bear. She didn't get them .... Dad left the roses for the girl on the switchboard at the police station. Since then, since we have an old building and locks are for honest people, we have re-inforced our doors with heavy metal bolted along the hinged sides of the door so they can't take out the hinges and have put heavy metal on the backs of the locks so they can't jimmy the locks or use a crowbar ... unless they are Hercules. We even put metal hooks behind the doors and placed a 2 x 4 into the hooks so if they try to open the door they would have to pull out the metal and bolts to get in.
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