QuikTrip Working To Add Armed Employees To Tulsa Stores

Tulsa-based QuikTrip has started a new hybrid employee program in Wichita which is training and arming some store clerks.

A spokesperson for QuikTrip says the program has been going for 6 months in Wichita with positive results. He says training and arming employees makes other employees and customers feel safe and cuts down on petty crimes.

Just this morning, Tulsa Police say a man stole cigarettes from two different Tulsa QuikTrips. Officers say he waited for the store to clear out then threatened to shoot an employee. He got away with an armful of cigarettes from both stores.

11/09/2018 Related Story: Tulsa Police Search For QuikTrip Thief

QuikTrip's Michael Thornbrugh says these kinds of crimes can be avoided if there's armed security in the store. He says in Wichita, hybrid employees and now QT is working on getting them to some stores in Tulsa.

"It's really making a difference. Store volume is up quite a bit and people generally are happier and we're stopping a lot of nonsense that shouldn't be going on," said Thornbrugh.

Thornbrugh says Tulsa QuikTrips already have several off-duty police officers that help in stores and that's not going to change. He says the hybrid employee program is just another layer of safety and security inside the franchise.