News radio 106.7 FM was discussing carjacking and holiday shopping security (from muggers and robbers) this morning. They had a guest, security expert Mike Brooks, to give some tips and advice. One of the show hosts (Rob) asked about what the victim should do if the victim is armed and has a "concealed carry" permit. The expert said that since many stores have a no-guns policy for customers, you might be tempted to leave it in your car. But DON'T DO THAT, the expert said, because of the huge number of handguns that are stolen from parked cars. Instead, leave it at home. Or, as the safety expert observed, carry it on your person concealed anyway and figure that when it comes to a store's policies, what they don't know won't bother them. Sounds like good advice to me (Kurt). And the other things this guest expert talked about all had to do with situational awareness, which is something we really emphasize as part of one's personal security plan.
Did he express any good tips on SA? I've been on the lookout for how to practice or train that. I try to do things like recall license plates after they pass, and kind of stink at it. Other things I do: Make an intentional effort to look around when passing through doorways. Make an intentional effort to look around for nearby people when about 10 feet from getting back to car. From security cam footage of "incidents" in the news, those two places seem to be natural target points for predators. I liked how an officer expressed it at one of the active shooter presentations, keep playing the Sesame Street game, "One of these things is not like the others."
I would get in the habit of looking around the parking lot in the direction of your car, and all areas within 100 feet of your car, as soon as you come within sight of your car --even if that's the soon as you exit the store . Look for people and vehicles were out of place. Look for people who appear to be loitering including loitering in parked cars . Keep in mind if a couple of young men are sitting in a car near yours, and appear to be just talking among themselves or using a phone, you should realize that that might just be a ruse, and they are really waiting for you to get your keys out. Then they plan to jump out and carjack you . In such a situation, I might choose to approach my car with my hand already on my holster pistol. Or, I might choose not to go to my car at all but instead to bypass my car and make my way back to the front of the store, where I could ask for a security escort. Most stores will supply a security escort either with a real security officer or a store employee. Aside from situational awareness, you can also engage in good habits regarding what you carry and how you walk . Leave your hands free if possible use a buggy. A shopping cart /buggy can be used as a battering ram or an obstacle to put between you and an attacker . Keep your head on a swivel as you approach your car . If you have a lot of packages to load in your vehicle stop and look around a couple times while you're doing that --don't get tunnel vision