Robbery Unit

Robbery, armed or not, can be one of the most violent, frightening, and life changing events in which a person, store clerk, store owner, or home owner can ever experience. A perpetrator, armed or not, demanding drugs, money, or your car is obviously an extremely dangerous person. It is this very person or persons that the detectives of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Robbery Unit are tasked to investigate and incarcerate. The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Robbery Unit investigates: carjacking, home invasion robbery, strong armed robbery, armed robbery, business robbery, and robbery by sudden snatching for the purpose of apprehending offenders, preparing evidence and providing testimony so as to secure a conviction of the perpetrator. Additionally, the Robbery Unit handles most investigations of local bank robberies.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Robbery Clearinghouse was instituted in 1990. The Clearinghouse collects and analyzes robbery related information throughout Palm Beach County and provides a variety of investigative services to local, state, and federal agencies. The Clearinghouse staff of analysts provides support for these various investigative and operational units through the collection and dissemination of county-wide robbery-related intelligence. It is through the use of the robbery intelligence sharing that patterns are identified for immediate follow up.

A monthly violent crime trends meeting allows all law enforcement agencies in the tri-county area to share up-to-the-minute information on criminal offenders to encourage information networking. These meetings make it tough for criminals to successfully carry out their crimes.

What to do Before, During and After a Robbery…

Robbery Presentations:

Prevention:

  • Keep the store windows clear of signs, posters, and clutter that blocks view.
  • Get to know your local deputy sheriffs.
  • Don’t leave large sums of money in the register.
  • Watch for people who wander around the store but don’t appear interested in buying anything.
  • Install alarms and security cameras.
  • Develop and discuss a plan with your staff.

During the Robbery:

  • Comply with robber’s demands – don’t do more or less than the robber demands.
  • Push alarm only when safe to do so, stay calm, observe the intruder’s clothes, features, scars, any identifying information.
  • Call 911; stay on line until Sheriff’s Office arrives.

After the Robbery:

  • Lock the door and preserve evidence (anything the robber touched). Fingerprints and DNA will be helpful to police.
  • Ask any witnesses to remain until police arrive.