South Florida Injury Lawyer Blog
The South Florida Sun-Sentinel has issued the following findings regarding crimes at South Florida malls.
From 2003 through 2007:
• There were over 22,000 reported crimes at 13 shopping malls in Miami-Dade County, Palm Beach County, and Broward County.
• 508 of these crimes were violent crimes.
• A suspect is not apprehended or identified in 75% of all violent shopping mall crime cases.
• In four out of five violent crime incidents at South Florida shopping malls, there were no security cameras or the equipment was broken or did not capture any helpful footage.
• Most shopping mall crimes occur during the day.
• Women are more likely to be targeted for robberies than men.
• The most common places for shopping mall crimes to happen are in mall garages and parking lots.
• Security is usually better in the mall than in the parking areas.
• The most common crimes are car thefts and shoplifting, including purse snatching.
• Mall robbers frequently work in teams.
Former Town Center mall security head Michele Poling says that many shopping mall companies do not properly staff their parking lots. Many mall security members don’t carry weapons and are trained to call police in the event that a crime occurs.
Premises Liability
Shopping mall owners and managers are supposed to ensure that all the proper safety and security measures are in place to prevent store patrons and employees from becoming victims of property crimes or violent crimes. When failure to implement these measures results in rape, murder, robbery, kidnapping, assault, gunshot injuries, and other serious crimes, the shopping mall owner, the security company, and others can be held liable through inadequate security lawsuits if their negligence allowed the crimes to happen.
Throughout South Florida, our Port St. Lucie, West Palm Beach, and Miami premises liability lawyers can help you explore your legal options. We represent clients that were seriously injured because a property owner allowed an unsafe condition to exist on a premise.
Crime can strike fast at South Florida malls, TCPalm.com, May 20, 2008
NBC 6 Analysis Finds Which S. Fla. Malls Are Safer Than Others, NBC6.com, April 30, 2008
Related Web Resources:
Inadequate Security News, Justia.com
Mall security must become priority in South Florida, Sun-Sentinel.com, May 22, 2008
Contact Halberg & Fogg PLLC today.