Jeweler Uses Acid to Protect Stores

As common practice, using acid to provide store security could never happen in the U.S. The first person who tried it would be bankrupted by lawsuits. This story comes from Malaysia.

From thestar.com.my:

A proprietor keeps acid in all his 16 jewellery outlets in Perak instead of employing security guards.

N.G. Mohamed Ismail, whose shop in Jalan Pasar, Taiping, was robbed on Friday said the reason was purely economic.

“It only costs me about RM20 to buy a bottle of acid,'' he said yesterday.

At around four Malaysian ringgits (RM) to the dollar, Ismail provides security for his jewelry stores for about five bucks each. Not bad when you consider that insurance would cost him about RM5,000 month.

Implementation is simple. Robbers walk in, the employees splash them with acid, they leave, usually screaming with their hands covering their faces.