People may become victims of armed robbery either in public locations, where they are targeted specifically, or in commercial locations, where they are often incidental targets only. According to figures from the 2006 National Armed Robbery Monitoring Program (NARMP) annual report, people are less likely to be a victim of armed robbery in a commercial location, as they are not the primary target for an offender (Smith & Louis 2009). Most people become the victims of armed robbery in public locations such as the 'street or footpath' (42%), transport-related locations (9%) or recreational locations (7%). In addition, approximately one in eight people are victimised in their own home (12%). Those who were victims of an armed robbery in a commercial setting were most likely to be victimised in retail settings (9%), corner stores/takeaways (6%), and to a lesser extent, service stations (4%) and licensed premises (3%). Eight percent of people were targeted at other locations, including banking and financial locations, pharmacies, newsagencies, post offices and some non-commercial settings such as 'open spaces' and other community-related buildings, such as schools and churches. Of all locations where people may be victims of armed robbery, they are more than three times as likely to be victimised while out on public streets and footpaths.
Victims of armed robbery by location type, 2006 (percent) [see attached PDF for graph]
Reference
Smith L & Louis E 2009. Armed robbery in Australia: 2006 National Armed Robbery Monitoring Program annual report. Monitoring report no. 4. Canberra: AIC.