|
Working at a pawn shop for nearly two decades this has happened many times to "us" and I mean all of us.
Fortunately none who have pulled a gun (to pawn) have ever decided to rob. I have to say that I would have been behind in the reactionary curve during most.
We are programmed to watch for warning signs or odd behaviors from a potential robber. When a perfectly normal person walks in smiling and asking how you are doing and responding to your answer and just making small talk in general then pulls a gun to pawn from their back pocket (as if to present id from a wallet) you just get caught off guard. If they want you shot you will not be able to stop it.
I used to get all upset about it both with the customer and at myself for failing to respond but I don't anymore. I just explain how that could get them in trouble physically with one of our more paranoid employees and ask that they case or bag it next time or announce prior to pulling that they have a gun to pawn. As for me getting mad at myself well I just realize that I can't expect to predict on everyone without being psychic.
Several of our employees have responded in the past by drawing their gun but it would have been in the face of gunfire had the intent of the idiot been bad.
|