Bolivia carries out drill and aims to avoid armed robberies

YPFB statement

This is a machine translation of the original statement issued in Spanish

Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales Bolivianos and the Physical Security Battalion dependent on the Departmental Command of the Oruro Police, carried out a simulation of robbery at the Service Station (EESS) San Pedro, with the perspective of training the personnel of the state oil company in cases of armed robbery.

"This drill was carried out taking into account the proximity of the carnival and the large influx of people who will visit the Orurean capital, a theoretical and practical training was developed for all district personnel, administrators and operators on anti-robbery protocols and security protocols" reported Ronald Cuba Núñez del Prado, YPFB Commercial District in Oruro.

The exercise comprised three stages: theoretical and practical training aimed at service station administrators, operators and personnel, and during this day it was reflected in the drill as such. The objective for both YPFB personnel and the police is that they are trained to deal with situations of robbery and robbery.

The commander of the Oruro Physical Security Battalion, Major Gonzalo Carrasco Villca, said that the police institution intends to guarantee the safety of the shelves and inhabitants of Oruro and reduce crime rates. "Last year a robbery was perpetrated at the Huanuni pump and there was an attempted robbery at the 5 corners service station, so we focused our attention on the security of the service stations."

SECURITY

The security device was in charge of First Sergeant Wenceslao Céspedes Gonzales, in charge of the Tactical Security Group (GTS), who proceeded to give precise instructions on how to handle a risk situation in the aggravated robbery drill.

For this purpose, traffic in the area was interrupted for 30 minutes. More than 78 people were mobilized, including 30 police officers, 15 police officers, 25 YPFB officials and 8 company workers. After the drill, the authorities highlighted the success of the operation that serves to raise awareness and train, in the face of criminal situations to which Oruro society is exposed.

Among the recommendations made by the Police is to try to avoid and/or defend against an act of insecurity, not to try to frustrate the robbery, not to try to arrest, disarm, interrupt the escape, or pursue the robber.

If there are confrontations, it is advisable to follow the instructions of the police officers, throw your hands on the floor behind your neck, look at the ground and remain alert. Observe, as much as possible, the physical features of the criminals, take into account the accents of the voices and record them in the mind to later facilitate the description and identification of the assailants.

The most important thing –according to the Police– lies in the need to maintain as much serenity and calm as possible. The manifestations of panic hysteria can cause unfortunate reactions from enervated, audacious and obfuscated assailants.