Why fuel stations are easy targets for robbers
Jul 01, 2007
IT is approaching 10:00pm as our taxi turns to a fuel station on Jinja Road to refill. A guard at the station sits on a stool with a rifle astride his lap. He is not in any defensive posture, yet this is just a day after Gelp Fuel Station on Masaka Road was robbed and three workers killed, including
By Chris Kiwawulo
and Joshua Kato
IT is approaching 10:00pm as our taxi turns to a fuel station on Jinja Road to refill. A guard at the station sits on a stool with a rifle astride his lap. He is not in any defensive posture, yet this is just a day after Gelp Fuel Station on Masaka Road was robbed and three workers killed, including a guard. One would have expected fuel station guards to be on high alert.
According to the Police, 20 fuel stations have been robbed in recent months and millions of shillings and lives have been lost. Ever known why thugs frequently attack fuel stations, especially in Kampala and its suburbs? Well, the Police have noted a number of loopholes that robbers exploit.
Addressing fuel dealers at the Uganda Indian Association headquarters in Kampala recently, Ahmed Wafuba, the Police commissioner in charge of private security and firearms, said many managers unknowingly cause robberies.
“The managers ask their employees to help them sort the notes according to their denominations. This tempts them to connive with security guards to steal the money,†he says.
Such an incident happened on May 13 at the Forum for Democratic Change chief, Col. Kizza Besigye’s Total filling station in Nsambya, where thugs robbed over sh20m from the employees at gunpoint.
In many cases, security guards have a hand in the robberies. For instance, Wilber Nkurunziza, the Falcon guard who was guarding Besigye’s station on the fateful night, abandoned his rifle and fled. Currently, he is on the Police ‘wanted list’.
“Ensure that you rotate the guards at your stations. You can even interchange guards from different security groups,†he advises.
Wafuba cites an incident in August last year, where Gule Siek Toha, 26, a guard with Security Group, shot five colleagues dead at Kobil, Bugolobi.
According to the Police investigations, Toha had worked for the Kobil fuel station for over three years, without being transferred.
Wafuba also blames security companies, which create special security groups for escorting money.
“How can someone who has never held sh1m escort billions?†he asked.
He advises petroleum dealers to desist from hiring guards from sub-standard security firms, adding that quality services come at a price.
Poorly armed guards
Private guards are armed with single-shoot rifles, most of which have six bullets. These include SARs, 12 bores and Pump-action guns. The thugs are so smart these days that these guns may seem like walking sticks to them.
Under the law, no one other than a member of the national security forces — the Army and the Police — is supposed to be armed with an automatic assault rifle like an AK-47.
However, although these private security groups cannot break this regulation, thugs do so. They are armed with AK-47s and automatic pistols. Police said last week they had burst a gang of about eight armed robbers with two SMGs and pistols, who were in the final stages of robbing one of the largest fuel stations in Kampala.
In the event of any shootout, anybody with a single-shoot rifle does not have any chance against a thug armed with an AK-47, which has 30 bullets.
To make matters worse, many private security groups do not give the guards enough bullets to last a fully-fledged shoot out. For example, if a gun holds six bullets, the guard is given four or even less.
One would have expected a lack of fire power to be compensated for by better training. However, this is not the case. Most of the guards are trained for one month, before being deployed, while ordinary Police officers are trained for nine months and over a year for soldiers.
Some of the thugs the guards are facing have worked with security forces. Therefore, a guard who received a one-month training will not have the strength to overpower the thugs.
Poorly stationed
The guards make matters worse by positioning themselves in areas where everybody sees them. This way, they kill any chance of surprising the thugs. It is unlikely that any thug will attempt to rob a fuel station without establishing the location of the guard.
“We asked fuel stations to employ at least two guards. They, however, continue employing one,†says the Police spokesman Simeo Nsubuga.
Fuel stations could even benefit from technology, for example closed-circuit television and a security room to monitor activities at the station. Some of the stations in the city centre have these spy gadgets, but a majority do not have them.
“Those gadgets are good, but they are expensive,†says a fuel station manager on Kampala Road.
However, given the amount of money that is received daily by the station, a hi-tech surveillance camera is worth investing in. During working days, fuel stations in busy areas collect an average of sh15m daily.
Registration of security firms
There are 65 registered security firms and Wafuba says they have temporarily halted the registration of more firms to streamline their operations.
“Many firms and clients think that a gun gives ultimate protection to the guards, but they should have other gadgets like walkie-talkies and bullet-proof jackets to enhance security,†Wafuba says.
As the licensing authority, the Police say they cannot renew licences of security firms with a poor performance record. Five security firms were deregistered last year for failing to meet the required standards.
“We evaluate security firms annually and if we find that their services are poor, we terminate their licences,†Wafuba says.
Police, therefore, advises fuel stations to have strong security boxes where they can safely keep money accumulated over night and over the weekends.
Wafuba also reiterated the Police ban on vehicles and boda bodas parking at filling stations, especially at night. This, the Police argues, creates a favourable environment for thieves to attack.
and Joshua Kato
IT is approaching 10:00pm as our taxi turns to a fuel station on Jinja Road to refill. A guard at the station sits on a stool with a rifle astride his lap. He is not in any defensive posture, yet this is just a day after Gelp Fuel Station on Masaka Road was robbed and three workers killed, including a guard. One would have expected fuel station guards to be on high alert.
According to the Police, 20 fuel stations have been robbed in recent months and millions of shillings and lives have been lost. Ever known why thugs frequently attack fuel stations, especially in Kampala and its suburbs? Well, the Police have noted a number of loopholes that robbers exploit.
Addressing fuel dealers at the Uganda Indian Association headquarters in Kampala recently, Ahmed Wafuba, the Police commissioner in charge of private security and firearms, said many managers unknowingly cause robberies.
“The managers ask their employees to help them sort the notes according to their denominations. This tempts them to connive with security guards to steal the money,†he says.
Such an incident happened on May 13 at the Forum for Democratic Change chief, Col. Kizza Besigye’s Total filling station in Nsambya, where thugs robbed over sh20m from the employees at gunpoint.
In many cases, security guards have a hand in the robberies. For instance, Wilber Nkurunziza, the Falcon guard who was guarding Besigye’s station on the fateful night, abandoned his rifle and fled. Currently, he is on the Police ‘wanted list’.
“Ensure that you rotate the guards at your stations. You can even interchange guards from different security groups,†he advises.
Wafuba cites an incident in August last year, where Gule Siek Toha, 26, a guard with Security Group, shot five colleagues dead at Kobil, Bugolobi.
According to the Police investigations, Toha had worked for the Kobil fuel station for over three years, without being transferred.
Wafuba also blames security companies, which create special security groups for escorting money.
“How can someone who has never held sh1m escort billions?†he asked.
He advises petroleum dealers to desist from hiring guards from sub-standard security firms, adding that quality services come at a price.
Poorly armed guards
Private guards are armed with single-shoot rifles, most of which have six bullets. These include SARs, 12 bores and Pump-action guns. The thugs are so smart these days that these guns may seem like walking sticks to them.
Under the law, no one other than a member of the national security forces — the Army and the Police — is supposed to be armed with an automatic assault rifle like an AK-47.
However, although these private security groups cannot break this regulation, thugs do so. They are armed with AK-47s and automatic pistols. Police said last week they had burst a gang of about eight armed robbers with two SMGs and pistols, who were in the final stages of robbing one of the largest fuel stations in Kampala.
In the event of any shootout, anybody with a single-shoot rifle does not have any chance against a thug armed with an AK-47, which has 30 bullets.
To make matters worse, many private security groups do not give the guards enough bullets to last a fully-fledged shoot out. For example, if a gun holds six bullets, the guard is given four or even less.
One would have expected a lack of fire power to be compensated for by better training. However, this is not the case. Most of the guards are trained for one month, before being deployed, while ordinary Police officers are trained for nine months and over a year for soldiers.
Some of the thugs the guards are facing have worked with security forces. Therefore, a guard who received a one-month training will not have the strength to overpower the thugs.
Poorly stationed
The guards make matters worse by positioning themselves in areas where everybody sees them. This way, they kill any chance of surprising the thugs. It is unlikely that any thug will attempt to rob a fuel station without establishing the location of the guard.
“We asked fuel stations to employ at least two guards. They, however, continue employing one,†says the Police spokesman Simeo Nsubuga.
Fuel stations could even benefit from technology, for example closed-circuit television and a security room to monitor activities at the station. Some of the stations in the city centre have these spy gadgets, but a majority do not have them.
“Those gadgets are good, but they are expensive,†says a fuel station manager on Kampala Road.
However, given the amount of money that is received daily by the station, a hi-tech surveillance camera is worth investing in. During working days, fuel stations in busy areas collect an average of sh15m daily.
Registration of security firms
There are 65 registered security firms and Wafuba says they have temporarily halted the registration of more firms to streamline their operations.
“Many firms and clients think that a gun gives ultimate protection to the guards, but they should have other gadgets like walkie-talkies and bullet-proof jackets to enhance security,†Wafuba says.
As the licensing authority, the Police say they cannot renew licences of security firms with a poor performance record. Five security firms were deregistered last year for failing to meet the required standards.
“We evaluate security firms annually and if we find that their services are poor, we terminate their licences,†Wafuba says.
Police, therefore, advises fuel stations to have strong security boxes where they can safely keep money accumulated over night and over the weekends.
Wafuba also reiterated the Police ban on vehicles and boda bodas parking at filling stations, especially at night. This, the Police argues, creates a favourable environment for thieves to attack.