Enough Is Enough: Clerks Fight Back

March 24, 2006 — -- Working at a convenience store is one of the more dangerous jobs in America. In fact, four times as many store clerks are killed on the job as firefighters.

Crime is down in America, but there is still an average of 100 convenience store robberies every day.

Some clerks like Eric Piva are getting fed up.

A few months ago, a man, who Piva thought looked suspicious, came into his gas station store in Encinitas, Calif.

The man put a bag on the counter, pulled out a blowtorch, and told Piva to load the bag with money.

Piva didn't give him the money.

"If he'd showed a gun, I'd give him the money for sure. But you know he brought out a blowtorch, so I said, You know, it's fair game right here. So I grab this big bat and I go 'Load it yourself, MF,'" he said.

Piva beat him with the bat and then chased him out of the store and into the parking lot, where he kept hitting him. But the robber got away with a woman whom police call his accomplice.

Police say they understand why clerks like Piva fight back.

"I think Eric was frustrated, and it is his right to resist, being a victim, and unfortunately I think frustration is rising," said Capt. Glenn Revell of the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.

Stores hope technology will soon deter many thieves.

Some surveillance systems enable people monitoring stores from miles away to make voice announcements telling would-be shoplifters they've been caught.

Thousands of convenience stores employ security services like Westec Interactive (www.westecnow.com), and for 24 hours a day, Westec cameras watch. The services can call police if they see trouble, but more often, they just talk. Thieves are told: "Put it back immediately and leave the store. If you fail to do so, police will be dispatched."

And 98 percent of the time, they say, that's enough to get the robber to back off. That's much better than having a store clerk intervene, police say. In fact, police tell clerks, "Don't resist. Just give up the money."