Security upped after Iroquois Circle K armed robberies

In this November 2017, file photo, the Circle K convenience store in the Iroquois Plaza in Iroquois, Ont. The manager of security for Circle K says steps have already been taken to beef up security after two armed robberies. (Newswatch Group/Bill Kingston, File)

IROQUOIS – Local convenience store Circle K is already taking steps to beef up security after two armed robberies within weeks.

Sean Sportun, manager of security for Central Canada with Circle K, told Newswatch they “have a number of security measures in place” but would not elaborate in order to protect the integrity of their system against criminals.

But he did explain that security has been beefed up. “The one thing that we’re emphasizing at the store level is keeping the windows clear. That is a proven crime prevention strategy. So that is one change that we have made right away is taking down the posters, so that should be happening,” Sportun said.

Sportun said their staff go through mandatory security training every three months but the Iroquois workers will go through some additional refresher training.

“(In addition), we are working on a couple of crime prevention initiatives to implement into the community as well,” he said. The programs are used at other stores in Western Canada and “have been proven successful,” he said.

Sportun said they are not looking at changing the store hours, calling the two cases on Nov. 17 and Dec. 12 “one-offs in this area.”

In both cases, the clerks were not physically hurt but the robbers got away with cash and cigarettes.

Anyone with information on the armed robberies is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).