Nearly a dozen thefts reported at Nashville malls over holiday weekend
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — As police continue to grapple with thefts at Nashville malls, some shopping centers appear to have been hit harder than others over the holiday weekend.
Following a number of “grab-and-runs” in October, increased security measures seem to have deterred shoplifters from trying to make off with items at The Mall at Green Hills over the Thanksgiving weekend.
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But increased security didn’t stop some thieves from targeting popular stores at the newly opened Tanger Outlets in South Nashville and Opry Mills, which is one of the city’s largest shopping malls and also the location with the fourth most arrests in Davidson County.
Dispatch activity reports from the Metro Nashville Police Department show the majority of thefts reported over the holiday weekend were at Opry Mills. Police were called to the mall five times on Black Friday in regard to theft and received another four reports on Saturday, Nov. 25.
Meanwhile, officers were dispatched to Tanger Outlets twice on Saturday after receiving calls about possible thefts, adding to the more than 30 theft calls received since the outlet center opened less than a month ago and the thousands of dollars’ worth of merchandise stolen.
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In total, nearly a dozen thefts were reported at two of the city’s main shopping centers over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
The one shopping center that was left unscathed over the weekend was The Mall at Green Hills. According to the police department, there were no thefts reported at the mall between Friday, Nov. 24 and Sunday, Nov. 26.
Security heightened at The Mall at Green Hills in October after multiple violent thefts at Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Nordstrom, where in some cases, the bandits reportedly used bear spray to facilitate their get-a-ways.
Mall at Green Hills ramps up security after multiple thefts
In addition to increased patrols around the mall, Cmdr. Lee Kendall of the MNPD West Precinct told News 2 in October officers have been tasked with going inside and checking on patrons, employees, and other security officers.
According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), an uptick in thefts this year has forced retailers to keep more merchandise under lock and key, reduce their hours, or in some cases, close down for good, even with added security measures.
Retail crime expert and president of Alert Mid-South, Glenn Alred told News 2 thieves have become bolder and more violent when stealing from retail stores, and many are reportedly traveling from out-of-state to steal from Nashville stores.
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In a statement to News 2 regarding holiday theft, the NRF said, “Retailers remain focused on providing a safe shopping environment, while ensuring products are protected and available for their customers. Leveraging partnerships with local law enforcement, property managers and peer retailers will play a key role in a safe and secure holiday shopping season.”
According to Opry Mills management, several security measures are also in place at the mall, including license plate readers, surveillance towers, trained security professionals who patrol the property 24/7, hired off-duty police officers and K9 officers to detect certain contraband.
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