Receptionist made correct decisions during armed heist
Police still investigating motel crime

By Katie Pizza
Argus Observer
Wednesday, January 14, 2009 10:51 AM PST

The exterior of the Ontario Rodeway Inn, as seen Tuesday afternoon. The motel was robbed by an unknown man Tuesday morning. OPD Capt. Mark Alexander said robberies are a rarity in the Ontario area, but there seems to be an increase as of late.

Ontario — The receptionist at the Ontario Rodeway Inn encountered a set of stark choices around 1 a.m. Tuesday morning when a man entered the establishment, waved a gun and demanded cash.

Fortunately, she made the right decision.

Instead of struggling with the robber, the receptionist did what he told her to do.

“He just pointed a gun at her and said give me all your money,” Rodeway Inn Manager Judy Fuller said.

Judy Fuller said the receptionist went over to the cash drawer but was shaking so hard she had trouble getting the key into the lock. She explained her difficulty and said the approximately 5-foot-11 robber told her to “shut up.”

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The receptionist then gave the robber the paper money and was attempting to give him the change as well when he told her to get on the floor and not to look at him. She said he had the gun pointed at her throughout the robbery.

“She just kept telling herself ‘I can’t believe this is happening,’” Fuller said. After the robber fled, the receptionists pushed the panic button and contacted police from her cell phone. OPD Capt. Mark Alexander spoke highly of this move in case the alarm is out of order.

Fuller said pushing the panic button and not resisting a robber is part of employee training. Playing it safe is also a key theme for Rodeway Inn owner Bob Quinn, Fuller said.

“Our owner, Bob Quinn, told us, ‘cash can be replaced, you can’t,’” Fuller said. Fuller said she received a phone call from Tammy five minutes after she called the police, and she, as well as Fuller’s husband, stayed with her until 3 a.m. She also said Quinn came by the establishment to make sure she was O.K. She said the receptionist said she would be all right and continued to work the remainder of her shift until 7 a.m. Tuesday when Fuller came to relieve her.

Fuller said this is the first time the establishment has been targeted.

“Hopefully they catch him,” she said.

Alexander said the Rodeway Inn did not have a camera, which can often act as a deterrent to would-be robbers. Other deterrents, he said, include video surveillance, parking lot lighting, employee attentiveness and greeting and making eye contact with customers. Alexander said robbers will often visit the business they plan to rob and may feel uncomfortable or recognized if greeted.

“They’re more apt to go somewhere else,” he said. The video surveillance is also important, he said, because it serves as a visual deterrent to robbers. He recommended a camera be pointed at a large-scale ruler at the door.

He also said the number of employees on duty can also help to deter would-be robbers. However, he said that idea “goes out the window” if one keeps in mind the fact there were three employees who were ordered to the floor in the gas station robbery Jan. 4. He also said robberies are rare in the Ontario area, with zero for 2008 and three in 2007.

“You’d think that being right next to the freeway and being a border city we’d have more,” he said. “Why we don’t, I don’t know.”

He said the fact that Ontario is a smaller town might be a factor, with robbers hesitant to make a move because they might be recognized. Another possibility, Alexander said, is that robbers from other areas are often caught in Ontario. Whatever the reason, Alexander said he is glad Ontario does not have as many robberies as other cities. such as Nampa or Boise.

“I’m glad we don’t,” he said. “I hope this isn’t a trend.”

However, if a employee is the victim of a robbery, Alexander recommended staying calm. Some robbers, he said, may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol and may be startled into harming the victim if that victim moves abruptly. He also recommended employees keep their hands visible, so the robber does not think the employee is going for a weapon, and let the robber know their next move. He recommended employees go over in their minds what they would do in case of a robbery and to work on memorizing the characteristics of random customers as practice for the real thing.

“Be a good witness,” he said.

He recommended keeping in mind features such as glasses, accents, type of clothing, and what was said during the altercation. He also said OPD offers classes to businesses looking for tips on preventing robberies. Anyone interested in more information on the program is encouraged to contact the police department.