Question of the week (Nov. 16)
What should be done to stop convenience store crime?
The shooting death of Mohammed "Mike" Ali, the co-owner of the Red Mike Grocery in Fisher Park, is just the latest in a long string of tragedies connected with convenience stores in our area. Surely, some of you must have ideas for how the people who run these stores could better protect themselves from being robbed. Won't you share them? Maybe your ideas could help the owners of other stores. Or maybe you have ideas on steps the community or the police could take to make convenience-store crime less likely. We'd like to hear from you.
Comments (6)
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Did Mike have a security camera, 911 button, or even a gun? Would be helpful to always have two people working at all times. A blockwatch can teach people of what "suspicious activity" really looks like and to always be aware of their surroundings. I would think the best people to ask this question of are reformed convenience store robbers.
Posted on November 16, 2008 7:35 AM
Given that the overwhelming majority of robberies are committed by blacks I think we should be asking a different question.
Instead of trying to figure out what innocent store owners and innocent people should be doing, we should be asking the black community what they are doing.
I'm sure the staff of the N&R will label this post as racist.
It bothers me to hear people like Skip Alston and Deena Hayes and virtually every other black "leader" complaining about blacks getting a raw deal everywhere. They complain about the number of blacks in prison - as if they shouldn't be there after committing a crime. They complain about the Achievement Gap in school and look for the schools and taxpayers to fix the problem - while ignoring the role parents play in education.
let's go to the root of the problem if you're really interested in fixing it.
Posted on November 17, 2008 10:26 AM
Many years ago in Baltimore they had a terrible problem with 7/11 robberies. So, they installed two-way mirrors in each store behind which police could be stationed. At the entrance to each store was a sign alerting customers to the fact that the store could have police behind the mirror and instructing patrons to do exactly what the police said or else the police might start shooting. After several robbers were shot, some killed, by police, the problem died down. Harsh, but effective.
Posted on November 17, 2008 11:51 AM
How about a convenience store that accepts only credit/debit card payments. With no cash, the incentive to rob goes away.
Of course, it's not real convenient....
Posted on November 18, 2008 9:35 AM
Actually, I almost always use my debit card as a credit card. Rarely have cash on me. Most purchases under $10-$20 do not even require signature so you just swipe and go. I think it is much more convenient than handing cash, digging up correct change, waiting for change etc. Great idea!
Posted on November 23, 2008 9:30 AM
Let's ask the black community, "where is the outrage?" The supposed black leaders of the community are very quick to cry racism when they see an issue that will get them some recognition. Here is an issue that is not only destroying many many productive lives, but also keeps a saber in the side of the black community. Why is it that not one bit of outrage has been heard about the people commiting the crimes but now we are going to have to pay for additional police protection for the neighborhoods around NCA&T because of the crimewave? The silence is deafening.
Posted on February 18, 2009 10:48 AM