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Holiday Edition
Thursday, November 23, 2017
Police on the lookout for Black Friday crime
INSIDE
This Week
BY WAYNE SCHUTSKY Tribune Staff Writer
P
olice departments across the East Valley are mobilizing to combat theft and other public safety issues on Black Friday. While police department data from several cities shows that November is a rather innocuous month for crime, Black Friday has an anecdotal reputation for increases in theft, violence and property damage due to the chaotic nature of the unofficial consumer-driven holiday. “Obviously, just the increase in the number of people shopping (is related to) an increase in the idea to commit theft because it is easy
COMMUNITY ........... 6
to maintain anonymity within the crowd,” Tempe Police Sgt. Ron Elcock said. Elcock added that property damage and personal injury – mostly related to car accidents in the parking lot – are also a significant issue on Black Friday. To avoid those accidents, he offered a simple piece of advice to shoppers. “Have patience,” Elcock said. “If you go out on Black Friday, you know the lines are going to be long and the parking lots are going to be crowded, so give yourself time and exercise patience (to avoid conflicts).” Tempe Police Department is going to increase the presence of officers in retail areas like Tempe Marketplace on Black Friday in order to deter bad behavior and quickly respond
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to issues. Other police departments in the East Valley are engaging in an informational campaign to help shoppers and businesses protect against theft. Patty Gallagher, Mesa Police Department crime prevention officer, visits businesses downtown at Mesa Riverview every year to hand out the department’s “Holiday Safety for Businesses” brochure and the “Shoplifting & Internal Theft Prevention” brochure, along with a robbery kit. All Mesa residents on the city’s citywide alerts list will receive the department’s crime See
CRIME on page 3
Ready for the holidays
BY WAYNE SCHUTSKY Tribune Staff Writer
D
espite its reputation as a boon for bigbox stores, Black Friday also provides a sales boost for small businesses. In fact, according to one business services firm, Black Friday has a more significant economic impact on local retailers than Small Business Saturday. Business software provider Womply analyzed transactions from 1,500 local retailers in Arizona in 2016 and found that Black Friday sales far outpaced sales on Small Business Saturday. Small Business Saturday was started by American Express in 2010 as a response to Black Friday and Cyber Monday. It takes
SPORTS ...................... 14 Book tells the stories of athletes’ retired numbers
COMMUNITY.......... . 6 BUSINESS.......................8 OPINION..................... 12 SPORTS........................ 14 CLASSIFIEDS.............. 17
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Debbie Roberti of the Arizona Salsa & Spice Company shows off a gift basket. The company is a familyowned and -operated manufacturer of all-natural salsas, sauces, rubs, dips and seasonings. Roberti's company is one of many from the East Valley featured in the Tribune's Gift Guide. Story, Page 8.
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