About the only solution the store owner could have here would be to emulate what gas stations do in bad areas. That is, the cashier is behind bulletproof glass and you do your business through the little window slot at the clerk’s booth.
Of course, that approach works a lot better for a gas station than a convenience store, because of the variety and size of goods a quicky-mart carries. But I figure it’s got to be better than getting “occupied” every day. The police have shown they either can’t or won’t do anything, and hiring security would be a joke. One security guard isn’t going to drive off a local gang of 30+ members.
Now, a few off-duty Detroit PD officers working security might do the trick, especially if they parked in their cruisers out front. But that’s a very expensive solution, if the PD would even allow it. I used to work as a manager in private security. An off-duty will run you $25-35/hour for a cushy assignment. For something like this place - bad area, risks involved, Detroit union rules, etc. - you’d probably be looking at least 50 bucks an hour, or $1200/day to have just one off-duty present at all times. No convenience store can afford that.
Were it me, I’d look to relocate. It’s a no-win situation for the owner.
That depends on the tactics employed. Vigilantism is what you get when justice is perceived to not exist. Given that the cops don't even do anything about multiple obvious crimes right in front of their faces ...
Here’s the original story with the security video:
Unbelievable. Well, I suppose nothing these days is, but man alive!
The guy who runs the little party store in my little town has another store in the Detroit area. He says the little store here that gets between 5 and 10 customers per hour has a larger profit margin despite a fraction of the customers. Not as much money overall but operating costs are much lower as well.
Here he doesn’t have to stock a lot of excess crap. He doesn’t have to hire 3 or 4 people to run the store. His insurance rates are much lower and says nothing has been shoplifted in 18 months that he’s owned the place.
In Anacostia (DC) there are convenience stores that operate out of a little barred window. They don’t sell much-porno, cigs, lighters, candy and energy drinks mostly-and the whole inventory is written on a whiteboard next to the window. You pay first-cash only in a little tray; the “clerk” never gets close enough to grab-and then he will push your order out through the slot with a stick. There are liquor stores there running the same way.
Put the cashier behind armored glass/plexiglass have automatic locks on the doors & if the mob comes in deploy pepper spray in massive quantities (as in aerosol clouds). This will clear folks in a hurry. Repeat as needed .