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DEAN'S LIST - 06/22/2008
(by Dean Naddeo - OpEd Columnist - June 25, 2008)
Shopping centers invite crime
In recent weeks, reports of increased criminal activity in the newly developed shopping centers along the Route 23 corridor have begun to surface, and some locals have the audacity to be up in arms over it.
The fact is, the bad guys are finally starting to exploit the wealth of criminal opportunities that these commercial areas naturally present. From a crime prevention standpoint, these heavily patronized establishments pose a number of serious concerns.
Primarily, the highways of Route 23 and Interstates 80 and 287 provide relatively trouble-free access to and from higher crime areas such as Paterson, Morristown and Newark. Crooks from these areas don’t need to be overly concerned about getting lost in alien territory – less than 20 minutes and they’re back in familiar terrain.
The close proximity of these and other nearby cities also means that numerous workers are drawn to the continuous employment opportunities that these shopping centers present, thus introducing the area to non-locals who may or may not subscribe to our shared sense of community.
Naturally, the parking lots forever flourish with vehicles that beckon auto crimes, including break-ins and car theft. More seriously, shopping centers are generally prime locations for street robberies and purse snatches, which frequently involve weapons, threats or the use of physical force. The recently reported stick-up occurring near the BJ’s Warehouse in Riverdale provides evidence that such activity is taking place in the immediate area.
Unfortunately, the latest police reports clearly indicate that criminals are not afraid to take advantage of the false sense of security that many local residents still cling to. These reports also serve as an unambiguous warning that it is time for all of us to be more alert, and that we should routinely employ basic crime prevention strategies in order to protect both our property and persons.
The swell in criminal commotion may also indicate that the time has come to increase police manpower to coincide with such rapidly expanding areas as Riverdale, Butler and Kinnelon. Each of these relatively small towns now contends with a shopping populace that routinely exceeds its actual residential population. Yet, the sworn police forces in these jurisdictions remain surprisingly slim at about 18, 17 and 16 officers respectively.
Finally, there’s the recent Suburban Trends story about the Wanaque woman who evidently believes that the Chili’s Restaurant in Riverdale should be held accountable for the $2,000 in medical equipment that was recently stolen from her vehicle, which was parked in the aforementioned business’ parking lot. Although most of us can readily sympathize with her monetary loss, an attempt to hold the restaurant responsible for the actions of a heartless criminal is clearly baseless. After all, it was the thief who committed the act and not the business owner, and it was the vehicle owner who made the mistake of leaving such valuable apparatus unattended in her parked car.
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