Holiday Shopping Safety

Recently, the Virginian Pilot reported a stabbing at Lynnhaven Mall. It was the result of an argument at school apparently it got continued at the Mall. Now, to me, Lynnhaven Mall seems like a safe mall. Whether that is due to a fact or a false perception due to lack of complete reporting on the media's part, is to be determined. This got me thinking, of course, so I looked up the crime reports from local shopping centers. I used a half-mile radius around the center of each area. I compared:

1. Downtown/MacArthur Center (using 300 Monticello Ave - MacArthur Center as the center of Downtown)
2. Lynnhaven Mall (701 Lynnhaven Pkwy as center)
3. Greenbrier (916 Edan Way North as Center - corner of Eden Way and Greenbrier)
4. Military Circle/JANAF (5800 Virginia Beach Blvd as center - corner of Military Hwy and VAB Blvd)
5. Hilltop Shopping Center (1593 Laskin Rd as center)
6. Chesapeake Square Mall (4200 Portsmouth Blvd as center)
7. Pembroke/Town Center (300 Independence Blvd as center - corner of Indep. and VAB Blvds)

My results are all within the stated radius in the month of December 2008

1. Downtown Norfolk/MacArthur Center

• 17 - Larceny
• 4 - Vandalism
• 1 - Aggravated Assault
• 7 - Simple Assault
• 1 - Narcotics Violations

2. Lynnhaven Mall

• 2 - Bomb Threats
• 1 - Stolen Vehicle
• 1 - Trespassing
  
• 16 - Larceny
• 1 - Annoying Phone Calls
• 3 - Simple Assaults
• 2 - Hit and Runs
• 1 - Domestic Simple Assault
• 1 - Burglary
  

3. Greenbrier Shopping District

• 1 - Fraud
• 3 - Attempted Strong Arm Robbery
• 6 - Shoplifting
• 3 - Attempted Shoplifting
• 1 - Vandalism
• 2 - Simple Assault
• 1 - Forgery
• 2 - Drug Offense
• 1 - Threatening Phone Calls

4. Military Circle/JANAF

• 28 - Larceny
• 3 - Vandalism
• 1 - Aggravated Assault
• 1 - Stolen Vehicle
• 1 - Robbery

5. Hilltop

• 5 - Hit and Runs
• 1 - Burglary
• 8 - Larceny
• 2 - Fraud
• 2 - Domestic Simple Assault
• 3 - Embezzlement
• 1 - Burglary
• 1 - Drug Offense

6. Chesapeake Square

• 2 - Grand Larceny
• 1 - Fraud
• 1 - Child Neglect
• 1 - Attempted Armed Robbery
• 1 - Drug Offense
• 1 - Simple Assault
• 13 - Shoplifting
• 12 - Littering

7. Pembroke/Town Center

• 1 - Robbery
• 3 - Domestic Simple Assault
• 5 - Hit and Runs
• 4 - Simple Assault
• 11 - Larceny
• 4 - Drug Offense
• 1 - Concealment/Price Changing
• 1 - Burglary
• 1 - Possession of Stolen Property
• 1 - Pornography/Obscene Material
• 2 - Weapons Violation
• 1 - Fraud
• 2 - Destruction of Property
• 1 - Sexual Battery
• 1 - Indecent Exposure
• 1 - Stolen Vehicle
• 1 - Simple Assault

You can use these numbers as you wish, but in my opinion, the safest malls in order are:

1. Military Circle/ JANAF
2. Chesapeake Square
3. Downtown Norfolk
4. Greenbrier
5. Hilltop
6. Lynnhaven Mall
   
7. Pembroke/Town Center

I think that this is a very good example of how the news focuses on certain areas and makes them look better or worse than they actually are. You always hear bead about Downtown, Military Circle, and Chesapeake Square, yet they seem to be ahead of the curve, while the so-called up-scale areas like Town Center and Lynnhaven are at the bottom of the barrel. Hopefully, people will see this and either re-evaluate their shopping destinations, or at least voice their safety concerns with management or city officials. Just because it feels safe, does not always make it so.