Robbed eatery alters policy

Marisa O’Neil

On a normal Wednesday night, manager Bill Park would have been in Me

& Ed’s Pizza alone, counting the day’s receipts after closing time.

On Jan. 5, a couple of employees just happened to stay and hang

out -- something that seemed to surprise the two men who sneaked in

through a back door to rob the restaurant, Park said. One was armed

with a handgun.

No one was hurt, but the robbers made off with an undisclosed

amount of cash.

Since then, Park has made some changes, including having everyone

leave the restaurant at the same time.

“It was definitely a wake-up call,” Park said.

Park made the same mistake many restaurant employees do, locking

the front doors but leaving the back open for workers after closing,

said Sue Hupp, crime prevention specialist for the Costa Mesa Police

Department.

“Lots of the time, that’s where employees go in and out to the

trash, and they leave the door propped open,” Hupp said. “They should

have a key to get back in or knock on the door.”

Rear doors to such businesses should have a peephole, so employees

can see who’s knocking, she said.

Businesses can do plenty of things to help prevent thefts and

robberies, Hupp said. The Police Department will come out to a

business and hold a 30- to 45-minute theft-and-robbery prevention

class to those who request them, she said.

One of the most important ways to thwart thieves is switching the

regular routine, especially when making money drops, she said.

“Don’t do them late at night,” she said. “Make a couple during the

day, and don’t do one at night. And don’t take the money in a bank

deposit bag. Anyone with half a mind can tell what’s in there.”

Even though robberies aren’t a common occurrence in Costa Mesa,

businesses shouldn’t be lulled into a false sense of security, said

Costa Mesa Det. Bob Fate.

“Use common sense, he said. “Don’t count money where customers can

see it. Use drop safes [thieves] can’t get into. Keep things out of

the windows, so when police drive by, they can see in.”

In most cases, a robber checks out a business a few times before

committing the crime, Fate said. If you see someone who looks

suspicious, don’t hesitate to report it to the police.

“People are worried about wasting police time,” he said. “There

are lots of things that waste time, but checking out a suspicious

person is not one of them.”

A good surveillance system can help identify a suspect after a

robbery, he said, and the higher-priced ones are usually better

quality, he said.

People can also concentrate on being good witnesses, though it’s

often hard in a stressful situation, he said. It helps to write down

any identifying information right after the suspect leaves -- before

you forget it, he said.

And if you do get robbed, remember that it’s only money.

“Stay calm,” he said. “Don’t try to be a hero. It’s not your

money, and money can be replaced.”

* MARISA O’NEIL covers public safety and courts. She may be

reached at (714) 966-4618 or by e-mail at marisa.oneil @latimes.com.