For shopkeepers in Bristol alarmed by reports of armed robberies - seven in the last four weeks - Lt. Donn Watson says there are three things they can do.
"You should try and have more than one employee working," he said, "and if you can afford it, cameras, some sort of recording system. Have that advertised on the window outside the business."
He said lighting outside is also a deterrent. Investigations continue into the cases, though he said, in only one of them was money actually taken.
On Sunday night at a Dunkin Donuts, the cashier told the would-be robber, "No," and walked off, leaving the thief emptyhanded.
Rose Toscano, soon to turn 93 years old, said, "I keep an eye out when I get out of a place or I'm going in a place and I make sure who's standing at the door or around the doorway."
"Make sure everything's locked, lock your vehicles, lock the house, don't leave the doors open, get deadbolts," said Ann Marie Raffles. "What else can you do?"
