Watches of Switzerland in London Attacked Again

[Aquagraph]

I saw yesterday that Watches of Switzerland in Regent Street was raided by moped riding ****holes for the third time, and it made me wonder what these shops could actually do to protect themselves. I mean a doorman is all well and good, but there's only so much resistance he can offer against a helmet wearing attacker with a knife. Clearly this is going to happen again and you have to wonder how long WOS insurance is going to be viable?

Ideally I'd like to see the doormen given .44 Magnum's and freedom to dispense justice Clint Eastwood style, but in the good old liberal UK where the criminals' human rights are always the priority, couldn't they at least fit some kind of high pressure water system around the doors? Just enough to repel the attackers? Water at very high pressure is pretty painful, I mean you can cut steel with water if it's moving fast enough, so it shouldn't be difficult to find a pressure that would be enough to deter without causing injury (although if it did cause injury they aren't likely to be in a position to sue, are they?).

Or failing that what about some kind of indelible dye they could spray on the criminals?

Maybe some high speed lockdown shutters like they use in banks?

Any other ideas, bearing in mind there may be innocent bystanders nearby?

 

[Hubert]

In the US, high-end stores have several measures of security. Obviously cameras and armed security personnel are there, but I've also I've seen the practice of physically closing their doors (normally they are open), when suspicious, or high-profile [VIP] persons are inside.

At the end of the day, it's all about maximizing deterrent for low level strikes, since high-stakes / fire-armed robberies will likely always succeed in some measure, in order to avoid human or significant casualties.

Unfortunately, despite best intentions, the world will continue to become a more dangerous place, so everyone has to do their part.

 

[Jim Dollares]

I dont know about other countries but here a lot of the stores have two levels of doors. To get in you have to ring a door bell, they look at you and let you in the first door. The first door closes and locks, you are fully visible on video camera and then the second door opens. I feel like a criminal every time during the period in between locked doors but I would guess it stops a lot of these discussing robberies. If something happens it is often during closed hours, store rammed with a car and in those cases at least no innocent victims are around to get hurt.

In Sweden the top priority is also to protect the criminals unfortunately so I dont see any future where they will be allowed to actually stop these filthy thugs with the right means...

 

[abrod520]

In the high-end watch stores on 5th Ave, there's usually a doorman who sizes you up as you walk towards the door, and unlocks it / opens it for you. It's pretty clearly locked though

Aquagraph

Ideally I'd like to see the doormen given .44 Magnum's and freedom to dispense justice Clint Eastwood style, but in the good old liberal UK where the criminals' human rights are always the priority

Great idea there bud, the big men with guns will definitely only shoot the bad guys!

https://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/26/nyregion/bystanders-shooting-wounds-caused-by-the-police.html

 

[#nb]

Aquagraph

I saw yesterday that Watches of Switzerland in Regent Street was raided by moped riding ****holes for the third time, and it made me wonder what these shops could actually do to protect themselves. I mean a doorman is all well and good, but there's only so much resistance he can offer against a helmet wearing attacker with a knife. Clearly this is going to happen again and you have to wonder how long WOS insurance is going to be viable?

Ideally I'd like to see the doormen given .44 Magnum's and freedom to dispense justice Clint Eastwood style, but in the good old liberal UK where the criminals' human rights are always the priority, couldn't they at least fit some kind of high pressure water system around the doors? Just enough to repel the attackers? Water at very high pressure is pretty painful, I mean you can cut steel with water if it's moving fast enough, so it shouldn't be difficult to find a pressure that would be enough to deter without causing injury (although if it did cause injury they aren't likely to be in a position to sue, are they?).

Or failing that what about some kind of indelible dye they could spray on the criminals?

Maybe some high speed lockdown shutters like they use in banks?

Any other ideas, bearing in mind there may be innocent bystanders nearby?

We are talking about human lives vs. watches, so it's obvious what's more important. It's not liberalism, it's common sense. I can think of a dozen ways to protect a retail store without issuing guns to civilians.

 

[imagwai]

abrod520

Great idea there bud, the big men with guns will definitely only shoot the bad guys!
https://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/26/nyregion/bystanders-shooting-wounds-caused-by-the-police.html

Absolutely. Who cares about a few watches compared to someone's life?!

 

[abrod520]

#nb

I can think of a dozen ways to protect a retail store without issuing guns to civilians.

imagwai

Absolutely. Who cares about a few watches compared to someone's life?!

Not to mention the liability concerns of having someone open fire on a crowded street.

Of course the police are protected from liability in these situations, so the nine people they accidentally shot outside the Empire State Building in 2012 had to pay for their own medical costs

Want to be a big manly man? Go buy a pickup truck, eat a steak, make some derogatory comments about women's bodies. Leave guns out of it

 

[Aquagraph]

Well thanks to Jim and Hubert for replying to my post with sensible and well reasoned posts rather than taking one flippant remark out of an otherwise sensible post and blowing it out of all proportion.

But hey, let's ignore the clearly serious non-injurious high pressure water cannon idea, or the security barriers... he mentioned GUNS!!!!!

I don't care about the watches, I care about the staff selling the watches. Why should these people have to deal with this (tree times in a year?).

And it's not just them, why should people have to put up with moped riding scum grabbing their phones, grabbing their hanbags, or throwing acid in their faces to steal their mopeds. Sorry if my concern is not with the criminals, but to be honest if you want to stand on Oxford Street waving a machete around then I sincerely hope the armed police do their best to take you out.

 

[imagwai]

Aquagraph

Well thanks to Jim and Hubert for replying to my post with sensible and well reasoned posts rather than taking one flippant remark out of an otherwise sensible post and blowing it out of all proportion.

But hey, let's ignore the clearly serious non-injurious high pressure water cannon idea, or the security barriers... he mentioned GUNS!!!!!

I don't care about the watches, I care about the staff selling the watches. Why should these people have to deal with this (tree times in a year?).

And it's not just them, why should people have to put up with moped riding scum grabbing their phones, grabbing their hanbags, or throwing acid in their faces to steal their mopeds. Sorry if my concern is not with the criminals, but to be honest if you want to stand on Oxford Street waving a machete around then I sincerely hope the armed police do their best to take you out.

OK, so your remark was taken a little out of context, in which case I apologize, although it did sound very like your personal opinion was that you thought firearms should be issued to doormen and we were too liberal in the UK. For the record, I am vehemently opposed to any increase in the use of firearms in the UK. If one side has them, then the other side will tool up accordingly, and so it escalates. I don't mind specially trained armed police being readily available when needed, though - to do otherwise would be foolhardy.

As for the moped riding scum you refer to, I agree this is a growing problem. However, I still feel safe enough in central London to go about my business normally. I think I would feel much more nervous if I knew people with guns were standing outside retail outlets, or that I could get incapacitated by a high pressure water cannon on my way into Watches of Switzerland.

 

[MRC]

Aquagraph

I mean a doorman is all well and good, but there's only so much resistance he can offer against a helmet wearing attacker with a knife.

That sort of shop local to me (Cambridge & Bury St Ed's) has a lock on the door. The doorperson has to release the lock after taking a dekko at you. I'm amazed they let me in, I do not dress like the purchaser of a new Rolex.

And when I'm in there all I want is a leather strap or a new crystal fitted to something more valuable than a low-end Rolex

 

[Jim Dollares]

Yeah the discussion escalated quickly discussions online are always tricky since you cant sense someone's tone.

When I read "IdeallyI'd like to see the doormen given .44 Magnum's and freedom to dispense justice Clint Eastwood style" it was obvious to me that Rob was not serious meaning that we should put guns in the hands of everyone

 

[Pitfitter446]

A couple of watch shops/jewellers in Edinburgh have doormen and locked doors, not that great security though,-------------they let me in!!!!!.

 

[MRC]

Pitfitter446

A couple of watch shops/jewellers in Edinburgh have doormen and locked doors, not that great security though,-------------they let me in!!!!!.

All you want to do is steal dog biscuits from their Doberman though!

My sister had a Doberman that was frightened of cats. Probably sparrows too I think. Sparrowhawks certainly -- but they have attitude and claws!

 

[Pitfitter446]

Naw, I take dog biscuits in to make friends with the dogs/doormen, I'm preparing for the big watch heist, orders taken soon.

 

[Aquagraph]

Yes I've been in jewellers where you have to go through one door and then shut that and then wait for the inner door to be released, that seems a good idea. If nothing else it gives the staff time to get out the back... perhaps WOS might think about investing in a solid interior security chamber?

 

[Aquagraph]

Jim Dollares

Yeah the discussion escalated quickly discussions online are always tricky since you cant sense someone's tone.

When I read "IdeallyI'd like to see the doormen given .44 Magnum's and freedom to dispense justice Clint Eastwood style" it was obvious to me that Rob was not serious meaning that we should put guns in the hands of everyone

Thanks Jim, it was clearly too subtle for some.

 

[MRC]

Pitfitter446

Naw, I take dog biscuits in to make friends with the dogs/doormen, I'm preparing for the big watch heist, orders taken soon.

Dog biscuit eating doormen? Edinburgh has no food banks???


Oh yes the heist. Put me down for hmm, do you have a time-machine?

 

[Aquagraph]

imagwai

OK, so your remark was taken a little out of context, in which case I apologize, although it did sound very like your personal opinion was that you thought firearms should be issued to doormen and we were too liberal in the UK. For the record, I am vehemently opposed to any increase in the use of firearms in the UK. If one side has them, then the other side will tool up accordingly, and so it escalates. I don't mind specially trained armed police being readily available when needed, though - to do otherwise would be foolhardy.

As for the moped riding scum you refer to, I agree this is a growing problem. However, I still feel safe enough in central London to go about my business normally. I think I would feel much more nervous if I knew people with guns were standing outside retail outlets, or that I could get incapacitated by a high pressure water cannon on my way into Watches of Switzerland.

I agree, in the real world arming the regular police will only lead to escalation... and there can never be a policemen in the right place every time when someone gets attacked with a knife or acid. I heard today the police now have their own scooters so that they can give chase, which is a step in the right direction I guess. [SARCASM]*All they need now is some ROCKET LAUNCHERS on the sides and it'll be happy days.* [/SARCASM]

 

[abrod520]

Sorry - the whole GUNS GUNS GUNS thing paired with the dig at liberals sounded a bit too close to the people on this side of the pond who are sadly not kidding about it. So it pissed me off a bit. But looking on the bright side, our schools are now teaching toddlers what to do if they're shot at, through nursery rhymes!

 

[TonyStark]

I have some spare iron man suits for rental at a reasonable price. ..