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The Hazards of Bookselling
Jun. 30th, 2008 04:11 pmI never thought that working in a quiet bookshop could be so potentially hazardous. Now, it's not the bookshop itself that is a problem nor the books. It is more its placement in the shopping centre. Right outside the shop - in the centre of a thoroughfare - is a kiosk Watch Shop. On Saturday, while I was working in the shop, two guys attempted to rob the watch shop.
It was right on 4.00 o'clock. The girl who works there was just finishing up counting the till take and putting it in the safe. The bookshop is open another hour, but it is the quietest hour, so I was just sitting at the front desk watching the world go by when the Watch Shop got one last customer. He needed to buy a watch for his girlfriend, it was urgent, and he knows she's closing but if he could just get a watch before she goes home that would be great. He's leaning over a glass case filled with watches, pointing to the one he wants. To prove his potential purchase he pulls out a wad of money and flashes it around.
And that's when I really start to take notice.
You see, his wad of cash has hundred dollar notes, and fifties too. No one flashes around hundred dollar notes! You just don't do things like that.
The girl goes over to this guy. She sees the money and one last sale. He's pointing at the watch he wants and she goes to open the case.
That's when I notice the second guy. He's on the other side of the kiosk. He's stepping over the 'door' in the side of the kiosk and heading towards the cash register. She can't see any of this happening behind her back.
I rush out from behind the front desk of the bookshop and shout, "Hey! What are you doing!?"
The guy inside the kiosk reaching for the register is startled. The girl working in the kiosk is startled. Anyone within 200 yards of the shop is damn well startled!
The girl is also just realising (and so am I) that she now has someone on the 'inside' with her. I have horrible thoughts of him grabbing her, and I guess so does she. So, I move out of the bookshop, towards the kiosk, shouting and gesturing, swearing and screaming.
People are really starting to stop and look now and the guy in the kiosk backs out. His mate - the foil who acted as distraction - takes off. I expect Mr.Reach-for-the-Till to do the same. But he doesn't!
Instead, he comes at me. He's shouting and screaming at me! "Who the fuck are you? What the fuck are you doing? Why don't you fuck off?! I'm gonna fucking stab you prick!" And he pushes me in the chest with one hand. He's not reaching for any weapon, just shouting and trying to stand-over me. I look around and he does too. He notices all the people. I don't give any ground, I just stand there, waiting. And then he runs.
He was gone in an instant and nobody made a move to stop him. I even had to shout at someone in another store to call security! And then they took another 5 minutes to arrive.
The police? We rang straight away and they said they'd send someone straight over. This was at 4.15pm on Saturday. We waited around until 6.30pm. They did not turn up. Sunday morning, the police were called again. Oh yes, they went out and there was no one there at the shopping centre. What time? 8.00pm!
So, the cops finally arrive around 3pm on Sunday to take statements, get the centre security footage etc. And one cop says, "You know, if you had of called us straight away we could have been out looking for these guys yesterday afternoon".
Well, fuck me, Sherlock! What an excellent idea.
It was right on 4.00 o'clock. The girl who works there was just finishing up counting the till take and putting it in the safe. The bookshop is open another hour, but it is the quietest hour, so I was just sitting at the front desk watching the world go by when the Watch Shop got one last customer. He needed to buy a watch for his girlfriend, it was urgent, and he knows she's closing but if he could just get a watch before she goes home that would be great. He's leaning over a glass case filled with watches, pointing to the one he wants. To prove his potential purchase he pulls out a wad of money and flashes it around.
And that's when I really start to take notice.
You see, his wad of cash has hundred dollar notes, and fifties too. No one flashes around hundred dollar notes! You just don't do things like that.
The girl goes over to this guy. She sees the money and one last sale. He's pointing at the watch he wants and she goes to open the case.
That's when I notice the second guy. He's on the other side of the kiosk. He's stepping over the 'door' in the side of the kiosk and heading towards the cash register. She can't see any of this happening behind her back.
I rush out from behind the front desk of the bookshop and shout, "Hey! What are you doing!?"
The guy inside the kiosk reaching for the register is startled. The girl working in the kiosk is startled. Anyone within 200 yards of the shop is damn well startled!
The girl is also just realising (and so am I) that she now has someone on the 'inside' with her. I have horrible thoughts of him grabbing her, and I guess so does she. So, I move out of the bookshop, towards the kiosk, shouting and gesturing, swearing and screaming.
People are really starting to stop and look now and the guy in the kiosk backs out. His mate - the foil who acted as distraction - takes off. I expect Mr.Reach-for-the-Till to do the same. But he doesn't!
Instead, he comes at me. He's shouting and screaming at me! "Who the fuck are you? What the fuck are you doing? Why don't you fuck off?! I'm gonna fucking stab you prick!" And he pushes me in the chest with one hand. He's not reaching for any weapon, just shouting and trying to stand-over me. I look around and he does too. He notices all the people. I don't give any ground, I just stand there, waiting. And then he runs.
He was gone in an instant and nobody made a move to stop him. I even had to shout at someone in another store to call security! And then they took another 5 minutes to arrive.
The police? We rang straight away and they said they'd send someone straight over. This was at 4.15pm on Saturday. We waited around until 6.30pm. They did not turn up. Sunday morning, the police were called again. Oh yes, they went out and there was no one there at the shopping centre. What time? 8.00pm!
So, the cops finally arrive around 3pm on Sunday to take statements, get the centre security footage etc. And one cop says, "You know, if you had of called us straight away we could have been out looking for these guys yesterday afternoon".
Well, fuck me, Sherlock! What an excellent idea.
