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Wednesday, December 24, 2008

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.

6 comments:

Avenging Archangel said...

It's an apples-and-oranges comparison. The half-mile radius of Pembroke Mall isn't Greenbrier, or even Chesapeake Square. Anyone actually think Military Circle is safe?

Only someone stupid enough to vote Libertarian would post something like this, expecting it to be taken seriously.

Anonymous said...

Military Circle SAFE!? I agree with you Henry

But to call Russell stupid!?

Russell Manning said...

I frequent Military Circle Mall. I would rather go there or Downtown than Town Center. Its all about perception. True the half-mile around Pembroke isn't Greenbrier, but I have removed any reports that took place anywhere except the shopping areas themselves. In other words, crimes occurring in neighborhoods on the outskirts of shopping areas were not included in my numbers, as most shoppers are not traveling through the neighborhoods. The reports I used were only the ones that happened to be in a shopping area.

Anonymous said...

I think you should've made that clear

Avenging Archangel said...

I've been at the Military Circle DTC for the 10:45 P.M. lineup only to see a drug bust go down yards away.

As for Pembroke Mall, remember there will be misdemeanors at Town Center from the late night crowd.

Russell Manning said...

the concept of crime rates for the MONTH of December is that it is just the crime for that month. I know the reputations of the areas as well as you do. The only difference is that I make my own decision based on my experience there. Drug busts can happen anywhere. The police follow dealers around and bust them when they see fit. Drug bust have happened in multi-million dollar neighbors hoods but I wouldn't call them bad areas.

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