Attention sheep: Malls are not safe places!

[paramedic70002]

http://www.wvec.com/news/investigate....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.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Rob72]

And all malls have security - both seen and unseen.

Ahhhh. Gwasshopper, you hint at the terror of the Dip-N-Dot stand.......the Mall Neenja!

[ccw9mm]

Some shoppers told us they were surprised at the police calls to the malls where they shop.

Surprised, eh? Only a severe compass shift will help some folks see.

[SIXTO]

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.

[Tom G]

Malls in beach areas especialy seem to attract all kinds of scum. It seems that a lot of women and small children are kidnapped. Its a highly populated area where the bad guy can blend in.

[soflasmg]

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.

[P95Carry]

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.

[buckeye .45]

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.

[downrange]

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.

[SIXTO]

Yes, yes, and the water park too.

[SIXTO]

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.

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.

[buckeye .45]

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.

[rodc13]

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).

[CharlieMike]

i've been to almost all of those malls (i lived near the lynnhaven mall for a few months).

they're all just as safe (or unsafe) as any other mall. just be as alert and prepared as you are anywhere else.

[goawayfarm]

Lynnhaven Mall is also POSTED..........