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Attention sheep: Malls are not safe places!

4K views 23 replies 19 participants last post by  TN_Mike 
#1 ·
http://www.wvec.com/news/investigates/stories/wvec_inv_020107_mall_crime_reports.35b3f625.html

Police calls to malls in the thousands

06:38 PM EST on Thursday, February 1, 2007

Reported by: David Alan


A 13News Investigation uncovers who’s lurking where you shop.

While you're inside the mall, serious criminals - from suspected sex offenders to carjackers to fugitives - could be there as well. "People seem to think they're in this cocoon of safety and they're not," said WVEC Police Analyst Mike Carey.

13News Investigates looked at thousands of calls to police in 2006 for seven malls in Hampton Roads to get a snapshot of what's really going on.

At Pembroke Mall in Virginia Beach, 2006 records show police were called to investigate three stolen vehicles and two suspected sex offenders. A woman reported being abducted at the mall.

At Patrick Henry Mall in Newport News, police arrested three fugitives, investigated two reports of someone with a gun and got a call about a suspected sex offender.

At Military Circle Mall, Norfolk Police records show three reports on alleged sexual assaults and one report of a stolen vehicle. Police were called five times to investigate someone with a weapon and 34 times on reports of a suspicious person or vehicle.

At MacArthur Center in downtown Norfolk, records show police were called to investigate a report of a sexual assault. Three stolen vehicle reports were taken as well.

Chesapeake Police records show a report of an attempted kidnapping at Greenbrier Mall - a women who reportedly tried to snatch a young child. Police also investigated reports of two armed people at the mall and two stolen vehicles. A suspected sex offender could not be located by police.

At Chesapeake Square Mall, police investigated reports of five stolen vehicles. Records also show six domestic assaults reported. One person with a weapon was arrested.

The most calls to police came from Lynnhaven Mall, which also is the area's largest mall. Records show Virginia Beach Police were called to investigate reports of 11 stolen vehicles. There was one arrest for a firearm and two arrests on warrants - one was for assault and battery. There were 35 calls for fights and assault and a suspected sex offender was nabbed at the mall in a sting operation.

Lynnhaven Mall management turned down our request for an on-camera interview.

We asked, by email, why, during the busy holiday shopping season, we found a number of security vehicles parked rather than circling the property.

The mall provided this answer, "…during the holiday season, the security force was augmented by the addition of roof patrols, mounted police patrols and unmarked police vehicles."

Carey stressed, "We should make no mistake about it, shopping centers and malls are not going to advertise the type of crimes and the volumes of crimes being committed on their properties because they do not want to be any less inviting to shoppers."

Some shoppers told us they were surprised at the police calls to the malls where they shop. "I'll be cautious, even in the daytime here," said Helen Havrilla.

"Yeah, kind of scary. That bothers me. You think there wouldn't be as much," said Michael and Meagan Harp.

It's important to note that a call to police, or even when a police report is taken, does not necessarily mean a crime has been committed. And all malls have security - both seen and unseen.
 
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#3 ·
Some shoppers told us they were surprised at the police calls to the malls where they shop.
:tired: Surprised, eh? Only a severe compass shift will help some folks see.
 
#4 ·
I have done many off duty details as well as undercover type work in malls... they are the worst place to be at any given time. You name the criminal element, and its there. All the time. There is only one worse place I can think of... the amusement parks.
I have storys about these places that will make any normal person pucker with shock.
 
#6 ·
I live near Pembroke Lakes Mall in Pembroke Pines (SW Broward county FL)

That place is like a crime festival even though it is frequented by all the suburban yuppie ladies.

Armed robberies, smash 'n grabs, and purse snatching are a favorite activity there.
 
#7 ·
It confirms what I have always thought.

Trouble with many folks in malls - they ''see'' what they perceive as such a scene of normalcy and security - they cannot believe anything could possibly go wrong!

Probably the top places requiring the brightest of yellow.
 
#8 ·
There is only one worse place I can think of... the amusement parks.
I have storys about these places that will make any normal person pucker with shock.
I worked two years at an amusement park back in my younger days. Haven't stepped foot back on the property since. But I don't suppose you were referring to what happens in the kitchens or some of the things that go wrong with rides no one ever hears about. In my one year of working on a roller coaster I did get a nice little collection of knives, and found one Taurus 92, that unfortunately my supervisor didn't let me keep (that got turned over to the real police, I was only 16 at the time anyways, but did know how to render the weapon safe back then, because it was loaded when we found it.)

Oer winter break I went with my mother to the malls to help her carry all the presents she was buying around. She asked me why I had to carry during this. I told her to look at some of the other people in the mall, and asked if she felt safe alone there, she answered her own question.
 
#9 ·
originally posted by SIXTO.
There is only one worse place I can think of... the amusement parks. I have stories about these places that will make any normal person pucker with shock.
the malls don't surprise me. it's a public domain. the amusement parks however cost money to get inside (other than the parking lot). I'd like to hear about some of those stories sometime.
 
#11 ·
OK, I will cook up another thread tonight, when i have more time.

Just a little preview... the 50 bucks or so to get in is nothing to the pervert that likes to watch your wife or kids at the waterpark. Its also nothing to the drug dealer who can sell all night long unnoticed.
 
#12 ·
I haven't worked at the amusement park for 5 years now, my little bro still works there now. If I had kid's, I wouldn't take them there. Back when I was like 12 or 13 my mom used to take me and a couple friends out and just drop us off for the day in the summer, I wouldn't do that now. The waterpark is bad too, if you think about it (which I really don't want to and don't think anyone else who is sane does either) that would be a prime place for sexual predators to hang out. Much like the mall is in a way, lots of unsupervised teens and sometimes younger.

Amusement park security is for the most part a joke (I almost worked as a security guard for a summer till I got a better job out of the park.) There are a few paid cop's who are armed and doing extra duty, but they mostly just escort around the people moving cash in the public areas. The uniformed security are college kids looking for a summer job, no mace even, very little training. It got to a point that I stopped calling security about problems we had, because I was usually twice the size of the guys they sent, and would actually say something.

Since I have left they have added metal detector's to all the park entrances, but you could still get in around them. Gang fights happen at this one occasionally too.
 
#13 ·
It's sort of like the quote attributed to Willie Sutton (although he never actually said it):
"Why do you rob banks?"
"Because that's where the money is."​

Predators follow the prey. Preferably, the easy prey. Lots of chances to pick out the weak members of the herd (or flock, as the case may be).
 
#15 ·
Lynnhaven Mall is also POSTED..........
 
#16 ·
This was posted on another forum yesterday..

BTW.. I HATE malls
=============
I had a meeting yesterday at a shopping Mall in Johannesburg. I arrived about 40 minutes early, so decided to go upstairs to the bank. Due to the spate of Bank robberies that are going on at the moment over here, I dislike going near banks at the best of times, but usually pick ones that are centrally located in the middle of a big mall.

As I ascended the escalator, I was idly wondering why they had placed the banking area near an entrance to the mall as this is a security risk. I then noticed two pairs of guys who were a) obviously jumpy and b) trying to pretend not to know each other. I realised something was afoot and began to observe them, at the same time moving towards a planted area with a low wall that could provide cover in case of trouble. The lady in front of me also noticed these guys and pointed them out to a patrolling security guard.

Anyway, the guys moved out of the centre with the guard discreetly following them. I finished my business and went for my meeting. On exiting the centre a while later, imagine my surprise to find the police all over the carpark and my four friends from earlier lying handcuffed in the car park. Police had recovered two handguns and an AK47 which was in a shopping trolley hidden in a bag. It seems that the security had seen them pull up in a couple of cars and called the police, who responded quickly and made an arrest.

Whilst observing them earlier in the centre, I found myself almost certain that they were up to no good, but also desperately hoping that they were just there to run errands. I ran through a few scenarios in my mind, all of which involved me alone armed only with my Hi-Power taking on these four guys (maybe more) and probably not looking too well at the end. Instinct told me to get out as quickly as possible, but common sense told me I was over-reacting and being overly suspicious. In a country like this, you can become suspicious all of the time. Yesterday reminded me that this is not neccessarily a bad thing.
 
#18 ·
BTW.. I HATE malls
=============
I had a meeting yesterday at a shopping Mall in Johannesburg. I arrived about 40 minutes early, so decided to go upstairs to the bank. Due to the spate of Bank robberies that are going on at the moment over here, I dislike going near banks at the best of times, but usually pick ones that are centrally located in the middle of a big mall.

As I ascended the escalator, I was idly wondering why they had placed the banking area near an entrance to the mall as this is a security risk. I then noticed two pairs of guys who were a) obviously jumpy and b) trying to pretend not to know each other. I realised something was afoot and began to observe them, at the same time moving towards a planted area with a low wall that could provide cover in case of trouble. The lady in front of me also noticed these guys and pointed them out to a patrolling security guard.

Anyway, the guys moved out of the centre with the guard discreetly following them. I finished my business and went for my meeting. On exiting the centre a while later, imagine my surprise to find the police all over the carpark and my four friends from earlier lying handcuffed in the car park. Police had recovered two handguns and an AK47 which was in a shopping trolley hidden in a bag. It seems that the security had seen them pull up in a couple of cars and called the police, who responded quickly and made an arrest.

Whilst observing them earlier in the centre, I found myself almost certain that they were up to no good, but also desperately hoping that they were just there to run errands. I ran through a few scenarios in my mind, all of which involved me alone armed only with my Hi-Power taking on these four guys (maybe more) and probably not looking too well at the end. Instinct told me to get out as quickly as possible, but common sense told me I was over-reacting and being overly suspicious. In a country like this, you can become suspicious all of the time. Yesterday reminded me that this is not neccessarily a bad thing.
That's exactly how I feel. Do not fault me for becoming suspicious about something. If I'm wrong, then I'm wrong.. no harm done. If i fail to become alarmed and trust my gut instinct and something happens, it may cost me my life.

I had a person following me out of a hospital a while back. i was with my girlfriend. I was about to my vehicle and I heard heavy footsteps all of a sudden. I immediately turned around and startled a lady, who happened to be parked right beside me. She laughed and said I'm following you.. obviously in the way to mean that she realizes she startled me and knew I had good reason to suddenly turn around. We both felt silly, but what if it wasn't the lady who was parked next to me? Sometimes you just have to trust your gut feelings.
 
#17 ·
I've always looked at malls, as a buffet for criminals. Sex offenders.. you have no shortage of pretty women to choose from. Child abductors, there are plenty of children running around, straggling behind their parents. Purse snatches.. we all know women love their purses.. heck, aside from the money inside the purse, most purses now days are worth more than the cash inide them!

Car thieves? Plenty of cars out there to choose from. You name it, there's something there for a criminal. This is the exact reason why I ''obey" the no gun policies of malls now that I carry.

A weirdo can easily wander around the mall unnoticed. Stalking people, watching their moves. Sit on a bench and watch the kiddies play in the play area. There is just so much going on that a criminal can take advantage of.

People get a feeling of being safe, because everyone is there with their families. Certainly no smart parent would drop their teen children off at the mall for an hour or two of shopping alone if the mall was a dangerous place.. right??? When one sheep chooses the path, the rest of the flock follow. Don't worry, we have unarmed security driving the parking lot, and unarmed security on the other end of the mall from where you are. You're perfectly safe!! :rolleyes:
 
#19 ·
Trouble with many folks in malls - they ''see'' what they perceive as such a scene of normalcy and security - they cannot believe anything could possibly go wrong!
Malls = target-rich environment.

Viewed from the perspective of a BG, it's easy to see why such public shopping areas are such a draw: a high-density collection of people with money; slower-moving people, given the load of goods being carried; a "window shopper" mentality is taking the attention of everyone off any thought of maintaining one's security "perimeter." I can't think of a better combination for a criminal who is bent on person crimes. It's a target-rich environment, from a BG's perspective. One would think any sheep could understand this, easily. Not.
 
#20 ·
The mall near me is perfectly safe. What with the No guns allowed signs at all the entrances. We all know that they act as an invisible barrier that will automatically repel everyone with a gun. It was just a glitch in the security system when two weeks ago shots were fired in one of the entrances. Someone must not have seen the sign. I don’t know how they could have missed it; I guess they just weren’t looking.

My oldest daughter used to meet all sorts of nice guys at the mall when she and her friends used to drive out there (thank you God those years are in the past). We used to get lots of collect calls from various correctional facilities when they wanted to talk with her. So I really don’t understand why you would not feel safe at a mall. Especially one with the anti gun signs.
 
#21 ·
This is exactly why we need more people like the mall ninja. :wink:

seriously though: I don't go to malls. I think they typify many of the problems of our nation. They are nothing more than shrines of materialism and consumerism for people who are out of touch with reality in most cases.
 
#22 ·
"People seem to think they're in this cocoon of safety and they're not.
:sheep: :sheep: :sheep: :sheep:

There goes my shattered illusion of safety!! :aargh4:

Thankfully, the mall in my small town is actually declining.

Unfortunately, the only theatre in town is located in said mall. I go and catch flicks during weeknights when the mall is dead instead of on the weekends when the teenagers are running rampant. This is also why cop cars with blazing lights are a constant in the mall parking lot on the weekends. [I'm not wanting to put the blame SOLELY on the teens!]
 
#23 ·
I Hate Malls...

When I go, it's to accompany my wife...when I accompany my wife, I'm heavily armed...when I'm heavily armed I stay in yellowish-orange..when I'm in yellowish-orange, I'm a suspiciously unfriendly guy...when I'm a suspiciously unfriendly, I'm not real happy...

I hate malls...

Stay armed...stay safe!

ret:urla9ub:
 
#24 ·
Let's see......lots of shops that are stuffed with goods and money. Lots of people there to shop for the good they want and they are carrying wads of cash and credit cards. Lots of cars worth money that are stuffed with more goods.

And the sheeple don't think the scum bags will realize this and go there to score some quick cash and stolen property?

It amazes me how the sheeple think, or don't about how the real world works.
 
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