Two days, three car break-ins at mall

There have been several car break-ins at the University Mall in recent weeks, according to Vermont Gaming Academy owner Jamie Danaher.

Indeed, South Burlington Police Department Chief Shawn Burke confirmed that in a 48-hour period last week, there were three break-ins in the University Mall parking lot. And while it’s not a rash of crime, Burke is encouraging folks to take precautions.

Around 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 18, Danaher was working at the Vermont Gaming Academy when a customer informed him of a vehicle break-in. The incident occurred behind the mall in a section of the parking lot that is mainly used by employees.

The patron’s car window was smashed, and a backpack was taken from it. According to Danaher, the backpack contained some video games.

Over the next 48 hours, two more cars – presumably unlocked – were entered, and items such as checks, debit cards and a vape pen were taken, Burke said.

Danaher said these cars likely belonged to mall employees. Each of the break-ins occurred during afternoon and evening hours, Burke said, adding these break-ins are usually carried out by individuals with addictions, or opportunists. A common motivator is a bag or purse laying in plain view, he said.

“Sometimes it’s a crime of opportunity,” Burke said. “Because there was a backpack left clearly visible, the perpetrator was willing to break the window.”

Burke advised mall shoppers to lock their vehicles, stash valuables out of sight and avoid parking in secluded areas.

During a presentation to the city council last April, Burke told councilors the mall accounts for about 5 percent of the police department’s annual calls.

He attributed that high call volume to professional loss prevention at the stores. Security officers there identify, apprehend and report thieves to the police, he said.

“Given the retail nature of the property, there’s persistent rates of theft, persistent rates of cars driving into each other … [ and persistent] trespass,” Burke said.

While the mall has security officers, and some stores there have external cameras, it’s difficult to watch all areas of the sprawling lot at a given moment, Burke said.

“Their resources, like ours [the police department] are pretty stretched,” he said. “That’s a lot of area for a couple people to cover.”

According to Danaher, this type of crime seems to increase in the fall. He attributes the uptick, in part, to the coming holidays.

“It seems like something that happens a fair amount this time of year,” he said. “They’re [thieves] looking for quick-flip items.”

Danaher said he finds the crimes particularly frustrating due to what he perceives to be limited surveillance around the mall’s parking lots.

“There’s very little surveillance,” he said, noting a lack of cameras. “Maybe the mall needs to step up their practices … so we’re less likely a target.”

The Other Paper reached out to University Mall Property Manager Jason Steward to discuss the recent incidents and mall security. Steward replied in an email that there have been recent car break-ins across the city in general.

“Unfortunately, we’re not immune to crime here, despite our best efforts,” Steward wrote. “We don’t comment on our property’s security measures, but I can assure you that the mall takes crime very seriously and we do our best to fight it.”

He added that the size of the property makes security a major undertaking. Echoing the police department, he advised mall shoppers to lock their car doors and keep valuables out of sight while parked on site.