Your business is being threatened. Your employees are scared. Here's how to respond safely.
For Businesses
Protect your people. Preserve evidence. Report safely.
Immediate Danger?
If there is an active threat to staff or property, call 911 immediately.
VictimLink: 1-800-563-0808 (24/7, 240+ languages)
Staff Safety Protocol
1. Do not confront
Do not challenge or argue with the person making threats. De-escalation protects everyone.
2. Secure the premises
Lock doors if safe to do so. Move staff away from windows. Do not put anyone at risk to secure property.
3. Document everything
Write down exactly what was said, when, how (phone/WhatsApp/in-person), and who was present. Timestamp it.
4. Preserve CCTV
Do not let recordings auto-delete. Export and securely store footage. Include time stamps. See CCTV guidance below.
5. Notify police
Use the non-emergency line if not immediate danger. Ask for an incident number.
6. Inform insurance
Contact your business insurer. Notify insurer, preserve records, do not make public accusations. Some policies cover extortion-related losses or threat response.
Front-Counter Script for Staff Receiving a Threat
📝 If someone threatens your business or staff
Stay calm. Your safety comes first.
- Do not argue or challenge. Say: "I hear you. I need to get my manager."
- Move away safely. Do not put yourself between the threatener and the exit.
- Press a panic button or call 911 if there is immediate danger. Otherwise, call the non-emergency police line.
- Note details: What did they say? What did they look like? Vehicle? Direction they went?
- Tell your manager immediately. Do not wait for the end of shift.
- Do not post on social media. This can compromise investigation and invite copycats.
Practice this. Post it where staff can see it.
Manager Intake Form (Non-Victim-Blaming)
📋 When an employee reports a threat
Focus on facts, not fault.
- ✅ Do ask: "What happened?" "When?" "How did they contact you?" "Are you safe right now?"
- ✅ Do say: "Thank you for telling me. This is not your fault. We will support you."
- ❌ Don't ask: "Why did you answer?" "What did you do to attract this?" "Are you sure it was real?"
- ❌ Don't say: "You should have been more careful." "This is bad for business." "Let's keep this quiet."
Next steps: Document, offer support (VictimLink, EAP), preserve evidence, report to police with employee's consent.
CCTV Preservation Mini-Guide
Many businesses overwrite CCTV footage automatically. A threat is a reason to stop that.
- Immediate: Identify which cameras cover the area where the threat occurred
- Export now: Save footage from 1 hour before to 1 hour after the incident
- Check retention: Most systems overwrite after 7–30 days. Act before the window closes
- Save metadata: Ensure time/date stamps are visible and correct
- Multiple copies: Store on USB and cloud; do not keep only on the same system
- Chain of custody: Note who exported, when, and where copies are stored
Post-Incident Staff Meeting Template
🗣️ Holding a staff meeting after a threat
Purpose: Reassure staff, share facts (without compromising investigation), review protocols.
- State facts briefly: "A threat was made. Police have been notified. We are taking steps to protect everyone."
- Reassure: "Your safety is our priority. No one is expected to handle threats alone."
- Review protocol: Walk through the front-counter script again. Ensure everyone knows the panic button location.
- Offer support: VictimLink, EAP, time off if needed. Remind: "This is not your fault."
- Answer questions within bounds: Don't share investigation details. Redirect operational questions to follow-up.
- Close with clarity: "Report anything unusual immediately. We support you."
Keep minutes brief and factual. Do not record names of targeted employees without consent.
Signage Guidance
What to post and what not to post:
- Emergency numbers (911, VictimLink)
- "All threats reported to police"
- Panic button location
- Staff-only areas clearly marked
- Specific threat details
- Names of suspected offenders
- Staff schedules or routines
- "We were threatened on [date]" — this can invite copycats
Business Continuity Checklist
Short-term actions to keep operating safely:
- □ Review locks, lighting, alarm systems
- □ Check panic button functionality
- □ Consider staff escorts to vehicles after dark
- □ Trim sightline obstructions (bushes, signage)
- □ Adjust opening/closing procedures if needed
- □ Ensure two-person closing where possible
- □ Brief all staff on current protocol
- □ Update emergency contact list
- □ Notify landlord or property manager
- □ Inform neighbouring businesses (discreetly)
- □ Update insurance with incident details
- □ Prepare statement for customers if needed (brief, factual)
- □ Check in with affected employees within 24 hours
- □ Offer flexible scheduling
- □ Provide VictimLink and EAP contacts
- □ Schedule follow-up meeting within 1 week
What NOT to Do
- ❌ Do not post about the threat publicly. Social media posts can compromise investigations and invite copycats.
- ❌ Do not pay without police advice. Payment can escalate demands and fund further criminal activity.
- ❌ Do not interrogate staff. Victim-blaming destroys trust and silences future disclosures.
- ❌ Do not handle it alone. Involve victim services, police, and your business network.
- ❌ Do not ignore threats to employees. Employee safety is your legal and moral responsibility.
Protecting Employees
After a threat, employees may experience fear, anxiety, and shame — especially if they were the direct target.
- Offer time off or flexible hours if they need it
- Do not blame or question their judgment
- Connect them to victim services (VictimLink, EAP if available)
- Reassure them: reporting is protected, their job is safe
- Review security protocols together, not as punishment but as protection
Response Guides
📄 Business Threat Response Protocol
One-page staff protocol for threats by phone, WhatsApp, or in person.
📄 Evidence Preservation Checklist
What to save, how to store it, and how to hand it to police.
See Evidence Preservation Guide for current guidance. In development — request early access.
Need Help?
VictimLink: 1-800-563-0808 (24/7, 240+ languages)
Crime Stoppers: 1-800-222-8477 (anonymous)
Media & Community Briefings
When speaking to media, local officials, or anxious employees about extortion affecting your business or community, the message must be accurate, defensible, and calm. These talking points trace directly to dated Surrey Police Service reports.
Core Facts
- Extortion targeting Surrey’s South Asian community went from near-zero to a sustained monthly presence over 2025, peaking at 44 police files in a single month in January 2026.
- This is not a one-month spike — the pattern has held for eight straight months.
- Two-thirds of files are concentrated in one district, which tells investigators where to look.
- Extortion and shots-fired rose together, pointing to coercive enforcement rather than ordinary fraud.
- These are police files, not victim counts. Early-period percentages rise off a very low base.
- Every figure traces to a dated Surrey Police Service report.
Framing Notes
If asked “Is this getting worse?”
The numbers show a sustained pattern, not a one-month spike. What matters is that we have eight months of consistent police files, which means this is real and ongoing.
If asked “Should people be afraid?”
People should be informed, not afraid. Fear helps extortionists. What helps victims is knowing how to report, who to call, and that their community stands with them.
If asked “What can the community do?”
Three things: encourage reporting, reduce shame so people feel safe to speak up, and connect people to victim services and police. We do not investigate or confront anyone — that is law enforcement’s role.
If asked about percentages or “1,008% increase”
That percentage is mathematically correct but misleading. It rises off a base of 12 files. The honest story is “near-zero to sustained presence.” The monthly file count is the measure that matters.
Source: Surrey Police Service Crime Statistics Reports (PRIME RMS), January 2025 – April 2026. Surrey Police Service became police of jurisdiction on 29 November 2024. Counts are police files, not victims. Data are preliminary and subject to revision.
View full Media & Community Briefings on the Incubator →
Reviewed for: victim-support accuracy, cultural-language clarity, public-safety consistency
Last reviewed: June 2026 · Next review: September 2026
This is educational, not legal advice. For case-specific guidance, consult a lawyer or contact VictimLink.