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A thief’s reaction to the activation of a Fog Cannon

Activation of security fog is also activation of the acute stress response of the thief

In many contexts we are told that thieves immediately flee the scene when they activate one of our Fog Cannons be that in connection with either a burglary or robbery.

This is especially in connection with security against robberies in e.g. kiosks, we often get questions about the criminals’ reaction patterns when the security fog has just been activated. Do they flee, or do they stay?

It is deep in us humans to flee when we become afraid instead of blindly continuing on into something unknown – and especially into something where you can not physically orient yourself and do not know how to escape.

When simplified, it is a collaboration between the parts of the amygdala* and hypothalamus** in our brains that activate the body’s response (e.g. stress and escaping) when it detects a serious threat. The amygdala in particular is crucial for when the body is put on alert. When this occurs, the need for survival and protection will dominate over less urgent needs such as financial gain and hunger.

For a person who is engaged in or is about to engage in something criminal, the sound of police sirens or the sound of a starting a Fog Cannon will trigger a signal of a threat to the person’s amygdala and hippocampus***. The combination of the sounds, the security fog itself and the consequent reduced visibility utilises the stimuli associated with the amygdala’s fear response in criminals.

The security fog is therefore specifically designed to activate the criminal’s alertness and evoke an immediate escape response by taking advantage of the brain’s automatic need to prioritise survival over economic gain.

Therefore, time and time again, when the fog is activated, we experience that a burglar or robber immediately flees the location rather than direct his attention to the “prey” – or even worse to innocent people in the room.

This essential information has been confirmed by The Knowledge Center for Psycho Traumatology at the Department of Psychology at the University of Southern Denmark.

NOTE! As with all other safety equipment, it is important to inform staff/users about the Fog Cannon and how it works. What to do in case of fault triggering of the fog, and especially how to deal with a robbery situation where a Fog Cannon is activated.

* Small area in the temporal lobe of the brain, which, among other things, handles fear and defensive reactions

** Anterior part of the brain, which controls e.g. temperature, hormones, metabolism, thirst, hunger, sexual behavior, fear, anger and various activity rhythms

*** The hippocampus is a region of the brain in the medial temporal lobe. We have two hippocampi, one on each side of the brain. The hippocampus is part of the limbic system and plays a role in human orientation and memory.

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