Armed Robbery

[Keaniebean]

I work in a petrol garage at Sainspoops and went into work last night only to be told that the previous night there had been an armed robbery.

I saw the footage and it has left me quite shaken, especially as I work Saturday night shifts. We have been told that we are no longer allowed to leave the garage at night which we used to do regularly before, mainly to get shopping from the main store to fill the garage shelves. But they have also said that as we will not be doing this shopping we will probably be expected to work on our own from 9 until either 6 or 7am.

I knew they didn't give a stuff about their staff, but after an armed robbery you would think they would increase staff levels rather than leaving us even more vunerable. My concern now is what on earth do I do? I can't afford to leave work, but I think I need to get away from there sooner rather than later

I just wanted a little winge about it to be honest, but I feel less and less safe living in South East London all the time.

[Nomada]

I am so so sorry, does your work have a union? That would be the first place I'd go to for advice on this.

[Green Aura]

Bloody hell Sarah, whinge away. I'd be terrified.

You need a plan, honey, and fast!!!

[pops]

i think that situation warrants a formal letter to the bosses or powers that be - you have very sensible concerns!
scary stuff indeed.

[old tree man]

Bloody hell thats very scary look after yourself

[Big Al]

I just wanted a little winge about it to be honest, but I feel less and less safe living in South East London all the time.

I used to work in an indi shell station in hartlepool and we were not allowed to close the safe and use the money drop chute as " the manager couldn't open the safe on the time delay" At any one time there would be several 1000 pounds laid under the counter. I left and then reported the situation direct to shell and the whole world errupted, lol.

Keep your chin up KB. Can you not use the overnight hatch and lock the door?

[dave45]

Have you had a go on www.police.uk yet? it seems to be working now after being overloaded all day.
I live in Preston with the highest Dec crime score... never had any problems... our firm's staff carpark is on Glovers Court, and there is a great pub there. I suspect the statistics! (what is the standard measure of a "street" so that you can compare one with another? The news media don't seem to have grasped this aspect yet... they were there with their satellite dishes today trying to film it to make it look creepy)

[Keaniebean]

Thanks for all the advice, I will contact a union if the situation remains the same, although unfortunately they hold little sway in our company as so few people belong to them, but it will be worth a go I'm sure.

Al we do serve out of the hatch at night, but we used to have to go shopping which meant crossing a LARGE car park in the middle of the night and waiting by an entrance for someone to let us in. it would often involve walking past cars where you knew there were drugs being smoked and exchanged, Sainspoops knew all of this but just don't care, all they care about is making a profit.

dave45 I'm going to have a look at that site later, although I suspect I shan't like what I find , but I did grow up in Tulse Hill which is near Brixton, so I'm kind of used to the rougher side of human nature. We once had the police camped in our house for a week trying to catch the bloke who stabbed the neighbour 40 or so times. They only discovered the body when my dad phoned environmental health concerning a sudden outbreak of blowflies and a bit of a pong

[Milims]

Could you contact personel at head office and express your concern? It stikes me that this is a health and safety issue. If they don't do anything tell them you are going to contact the HSE and let them look into it. Have you asked head office what their lone working policy is, and if they have one have they told your store about it? I think this could be a hornets nest that needs a stir! Take care hun

[prison break fan]

Keaniebean, lots of sympathy to you. You must feel really worried. I used to work for a supermarket - retired now, and know exactly what you mean about the unions. Nobody wants to pay dues as most supermarket workers are part time, but they will help you. You need to contact USDAW. They need to know about this. But in the long run, you must look for something else, not easy I know, but you must be safe at work. Hope you are feeling better now. pbf.

[Susie]

Have you asked head office what their lone working policy is, and if they have one have they told your store about it? I think this could be a hornets nest that needs a stir!

Yes great idea. Sarah, I commented on your blog but I've had another thought. You could try the CAB - they would give you some advice and they might have a specialist who would take your case up (probably not, because of CUTS!), but worth going to see if they have anything useful to say. Or, ACAS (http://www.acas.org.uk/) have lots of stuff on their website and also a helpline (it's hard to get through but I used to have to ring them often and they do know what they're talking about).

Also I know this doesn't need saying but I just googled and Sainsbury's made 610m pre-tax profit in the financial year ending 2010, you'd think they might be able to spend an extra couple of hundred and keep their staff safe .

[TheGoodEarth]

How about transferring to a job within the store? I'm sure that wouldn't be difficult for them to arrange.

[Keaniebean]

You have all given me great advice.

Transferring within the store may be an option, although strangely I do quite like working in the garage, not for the work itself but the people I work with are lovely but I wouldn't stay there at risk to myself. I will see what actually happens once the dust settles, however if they do expect me to work on my own, I will definitely have to give serious consideration to what I will do and involving the unions would be on that list, although I don't belong to it myself. I never expected to be there for this long

I think an Etsy store and declaring myself self employed might be the way forwards, but it would be a huge leap of faith for me

[grahamhobbs]

........., Sainspoops knew all of this but just don't care, all they care about is making a profit.

..............

They try to give this wonderful clean, caring image, but I was completely horrified once when I went 'backstage' of their store in Camden. I took a child who was desperate for the loo to the staff toilets (the customer toilets were closed for some reason). You would not believe the filth, all the toilets were blocked and literally overflowing, it looked as if the toilets and whole of the staff area had never been cleaned since the day the store opened. Downstairs there were staff handling peoples food. I'd never shop there ever again.

[Keaniebean]

Actually Graham, the store I work in is pretty good in that sense. In my store the cleaners are so eager to clean that they get 'accidentaly' swept from the shelves onto the floor. I never knew a broom had the intelligence to be a personal shopper