Florida: "Firearm use to deter jewel robbers debated"

[cuchulainn]

from the South Florida Sun Sentinel

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/lo...ty02aug02,0,7881913.story?coll=sfla-news-palm

Firearm use to deter jewel robbers debated

By Rafael A. Olmeda
Staff Writer
Posted August 2 2003

Jewelry store owners put their wares on display every morning, hoping to entice customers in the market for a necklace or charm, watch or bracelet, earring or engagement ring.

The very items that attract the customers also attract the least welcome eyes, making the jewelry trade a tempting target for robbers who can score thousands, sometimes millions, of dollars in merchandise in less than a few minutes.

Experts and advocates disagree on the best way for merchants and their employees to protect themselves from the threat.

Meliton Aguirre, whose father owns Jewelry Francy's in Pompano Beach, reacted quickly on Wednesday afternoon when robbers burst into the store. He grabbed a 9mm handgun from under the counter, and before long one of the four robbers was dead and the other three were fugitives.

It doesn't always work that way, said Sue Fritz, spokeswoman for the Jeweler's Mutual insurance company.

"We recommend against the use of firearms," she said. "Most merchants who might be thinking about using a firearm are not professional about it, while the criminals are prepared for this event. It often increases the level of violence."

Robberies account for more than 70 percent of insurance claims in the jewelry trade, far more than any other profession, said Fritz, whose company insures 10,000 of the nation's 30,000 jewelry businesses. Organizations such as the Jewelers Security Alliance and Jewelers Mutual track jewelry-related crimes and try to offer tips on how to keep the businesses safe. Both offer safety tips on their Web sites, www.jewelersmutual.com and www.jewelerssecurity.org.

The doors at Jewelry Francy's always were locked during business hours. An employee would buzz potential customers into and out of the store. The men who tried to rob the store on Wednesday forced their way in after a customer was buzzed in, according to the Broward Sheriff's Office.

Broward Sheriff's Office spokesman Jim Leljedal said the decision to have a gun on the premises is ultimately the merchant's.

Advocates for gun ownership rights said the merchants did the right thing in deciding to arm themselves and in choosing to use the weapon during the robbery.

German Salazar, a Miami-based lawyer who ran unsuccessfully for the board of the National Rifle Association last year, said he did not understand why anyone would advise a crime victim against self-protection.

"That's really relying on the goodwill of an armed robber, isn't it?" he said. "The jeweler has the right to arm himself. He exercised that right in a manner that saved his life, saved his family's life and ended the robbery."

While they disagreed on the advisability of bringing a gun into the workplace, Salazar and Fritz agreed on one thing. Merchants who choose to arm themselves should do so, not only with a weapon, but also with proper instruction that covers when and how to use it.

"If you're going to carry a gun, get trained," Fritz said.

In Florida, a concealed weapons permit is given only after the completion of a course that includes legal training on the use of a firearm, Salazar said.

Rafael A. Olmeda can be reached at [email protected] or 954-356-4207.

Copyright © 2003, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

 

[Standing Wolf]

"That's really relying on the goodwill of an armed robber, isn't it?" he said.

Makes about as much sense as relying on the competence and good intentions of government bureaucrats. The difference, of course, is that armed robbers don't withhold earnings from pay checks.

 

[Geech]

"We recommend against the use of firearms," she said. "Most merchants who might be thinking about using a firearm are not professional about it, while the criminals are prepared for this event. It often increases the level of violence."

Right. The first thing I'm going to do when staring down the barrel of a gun is attempt to attack the gunman.

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

"We recommend against the use of firearms," she said. "Most merchants who might be thinking about using a firearm are not professional about it, while the criminals are prepared for this event.

So the answer isn't to get a firearm and be professional about using it; but instead to just give up and not even think about using one? Strange how all these criminals who are forbidden from even owning or using a gun legally manage to be so much more prepared for these events than citizens who have a thousand different outlets for professional training.

"It often increases the level of violence."

That's pretty much the idea behind producing a firearm in a violent confrontation, isn't it? Sheeple mystify me. They understand the basic concepts underlying freedom - they just manage to draw completely contrary conclusions.