OCALA, Fla. – Robberies at Florida convenience stores and other retail locations are on the downswing, but you wouldn’t know it from the coverage on local and state news outlets, the Ocala Star Banner reports. The number of robberies in Marion County, Florida, dropped 15% from 2011 to 2012. Overall, robberies are declining across the region and state, too.

Last year, only 5.7% of all robberies in Florida happened at gasoline stations or convenience stores, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, but that hasn’t stopped news stations from over-reporting each incident. More than half of all robberies happen in the public arena, such as on streets, sidewalks, parking lots, parks and alleys.

According to the FBI, in 2011, 7.5% of all robberies happened at convenience stores and gas or service stations. Jeff Lenard, NACS vice president of strategic industry initiatives, pointed out that convenience stores have worked on improving security issues for decades — and that has led to fewer robberies. For example, in 2007, 25,056 convenience store robberies were committed nationally, but that number dropped significantly in 2011 to 18,090.

Security measures such as time-release drop safes, windows clear of advertisements and posters, and 24/7 cameras have contributed to lower robberies. For any convenience retailer, safety comes first. Owner Mike Mhdy of King’s Store said that he feels that he has taken all the safety precautions he can.

“Most of my customers are very nice,” said Mhdy. “I never have any trouble with them.” The only trouble he does have is the occasional shoplifter.

Some jurisdictions try to mandate security measures for convenience stores in an effort to reduce robberies. A Maryland county recently passed a measure that requires convenience stores open overnight to install security cameras.

For more information on keeping your convenience store and gasoline station safe, visit the NACS Convenience Store Security and Safety section.