The Psychology Behind Convenience Store Robberies That Turn Violent

A new study looks into the behavioral scripts and social norms of convenience store robberies — and offers a solution that could help save lives.

By Luke Taylor
Oct 12, 2022 3:00 PM
convenience store
(Credit: GUNDAM_Ai/Shutterstock)

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Despite the proliferation of modern security measures, from bulletproof glass and CCTV to security guards and window railings, convenience stores still remain easy targets for thieves. In the U.S., 6 percent of all robberies known to the police take place in these mom-and-pop stores, according to a report by the U.S. Department of Justice. And though most of the time cash is handed over without anyone getting hurt, sometimes things go horribly wrong. 

Convenience stores have some of the highest rates of workplace homicides in the U.S. — second only to taxicab drivers. Beyond that, researchers have shown that is often the smallest stores in the poorest neighborhood that are the most vulnerable. Unable to afford better security measures, they are repeatedly targeted by thieves. 

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