Reply #14: Well, here's what I DID do. [View All]

[ZenLefty]

Our store was robbed back when I was working at Pizza Hut. It was in a little strip mall with almost no street visibility. The guy waited until we were closed, on a weekend night because we close later and we make more money on weekends. One of the guys took the trash out (alone), and was jumped from behind on his way back in.

Basically, we did what we were told, which was to hand over our wallets and jewelry. He made us lie on the ground while the manager emptied the safe into his pillowcase. One of the drivers was trying to get a look at him, and got kicked in the ribs for his trouble.

When he got kicked, a fear unlike anything I had ever felt began to work its way into me. I was wondering how the night was going to end, and wondering what I would have to do to live. Later I found out we were all thinking the same thing, wondering if we could jump him. We probably could have. Maybe only one of us would have gotten shot. I think that if the robber got violent with another person, we might have tried something. Or not. You honestly never know until that gun is to your head.

But as it was, he locked us all in the walk-in refrigerator and promised someone would be along in the morning to let us out. Well, most walk-in refrigerators can be unlocked from the inside nowadays, and we let ourselves out after about five minutes of uncomfortable silence.

Cops came. Store manager came. It was a long night of talking to police and filling out paperwork with trembling hands. Had to return to the police station the next day to make a formal statement and answer some more questions. Not as glamorous as it sounds.

I often think if we would have done anything had the robber gotten more violent. Probably should have, as dicey as it would have been. I think all us drivers had pocket knives which the robber did not get (nor did he get our wads of tip money, which we don't keep in our wallets for that exact reason). I honestly don't know. Every situation will be a little different.

If it's clear the guy just wants your stuff and doesn't want to hurt anybody, then just do what he says and don't get killed over stuff. If he looks like he wants to hurt you, might want to think about rolling the dice.