The watch program encourages retailers and employees at the company’s malls to be smart and alert.
By: George Frey
The owners of the Quaker Bridge Mall are uniting merchants, employees and local police in a greater effort to ensure the safety of customers and employees.
The Kravco Co. initiated a Mall Watch program Nov. 21.
"With everything going on, we addressed the security concerns around the building. We feel we’re doing our part," said John Ferreira, the general manager of the Quaker Bridge Mall. "We’re asking our merchants to get involved to help our customers feel safe. It was developed with the premise of a neighborhood watch. The wheels of the thing started to turn after the events of Sept. 11.
"I think we as Americans know what crime is. Someone grabs a purse or someone shoplifts, but that can happen anywhere," he said. "What we’re not prepared for is the unknown. Someone setting bombs and crashing planes into buildings. Sept. 11 called on us to pay a bit more attention to packages in back hallways and to unattended cars and people who look suspicious."
The concept utilizes the mall’s 6,000 employees’ eyes and ears to heighten awareness of mall security. The watch program simply encourages the retailers and other employees at the company’s malls to be smart and alert, reporting anything they see which might be suspicious to mall security and to the local police.
"Following the recommendation of the President of the United States to shop, Kravco Company Malls decided to take proactive steps to ensure their customers would have a joyous holiday season," a company statement said. "Protecting the spirit of the holidays is a responsibility we honor and value. Holiday mall traditions like choral jubilees, carolers, visits with Santa, elaborate decorations and shopping are time-honored customs Kravco Malls offer their customers. This year’s celebration takes on greater meaning since it is an expression of America’s freedom," the statement said.
Shopkeepers within the mall said they thought the program could probably help the all-around security of the mall which at the same time could help a theft problem, which some said is significant within their stores.
"The mall manager told us it was in an effort to make us feel more safe and secure," said Marie Ciabattari, the store manager at Eddie Bauer, a store that sells clothing and accessories for both men and women. "They told us to report anything which was unusual, and to contact mall security if there was anything that we saw which was out of the ordinary. They want to encourage people to come out and shop and to make people feel safe.
"I think its a great idea with the war going on; maybe it will bring in more people to the mall which has been somewhat slow this year, I think because a lot of people are tightening their purse strings.
"I also want to take the mall back from the thieves," Ms. Ciabattari said. "I feel like the store is mine and when they steal from here they steal from me. I’d really like to kill the shrink rate," Ms. Ciabattari said.
She said the amount of stolen merchandise in her store can range between $15,000 and $40,000 a year, and expected this year’s shrink rate to be curbed by the program, but still around $30,000.
"I hope it helps," she said.
Lawrence Township Police Capt. Dan Posluszny, who is no stranger to the mall, supervises the Mall Watch program. He said the program is simply a continuation of Lawrence police coverage. Capt. Posluszny said the key to the program is that it fosters more communication, absolutely necessary in stopping criminal activity.
"We’ve had a presence at the mall for the last 10 years. We’re in constant contact with mall merchants for anything which looks suspicious. We tell them what they should be looking for, and we listen to different merchants’ concerns."
"It’s a good idea," he said.
Kravco is also running the program in 12 other locations, including the Hamilton Mall in Mays Landing, the Deptford Mall in Deptford and the Oxford Valley Mall in Pennsylvania.