Protect your dimes from crimes

The Wasilla Police Department is hosting a community crime prevention program specifically for businesses. The goal is to start a business watch program that merchants and business owners can use to share information about how to protect their bottom line from crime.

The effort was prompted in part by an apparent increase in the number of burglaries at Mat-Su businesses last spring.

"There was definitely a series of burglaries involving businesses," Wasilla PD Chief Don Savage said, "Some of them appeared to be serial in nature. And it wasn't just in Wasilla, there have been a lot of burglaries around the state."

The crime prevention group is being organized by Cory Hughes, a masters student in the criminal justice program at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Hughes, a 1996 graduate of Palmer High School, was seeking an internship for his degree program this spring when he met Savage. Hughes said Wasilla PD was accommodating and saw a need for his services.

"Instead of just putting signs up, I want to hear from [business people] and see what their problems are and what they think the organization can do," Hughes said.

The need for a business watch program is apparent in Wasilla PD's police reports as well as those of the Alaska State Troopers and the Palmer Police Department.

Last May, the Wasilla VFW Hall was a victim of burglary and theft -- the culprits made off with a handgun and a safe. On the morning of July 1, workers at the Wasilla Pool were on their way to work and surprised a pair of burglars attempting to break into the pool building.

Discount Smoke Shop in the Wasilla Center was recently hit, according to Carena Blomquist, an employee and daughter of owners Frank and Anne Blomquist. Carena said the thieves made off with a safe, less than $500 in cash, and a box containing about 30 cartons of cigarettes. The inventory loss stung as much as anything.

"Grab one box and it's worth about $1,000," Carena said.

The Blomquists now have a reinforced back door and installed an alarm system at the business. Security professionals say that it's not uncommon for merchants to take such precautions after the fact.

"It's the hard way, but it's happens. Unfortunately. We try to make sure it doesn't a happen that way," said Jason Stotler.

Stotler is the local representative for ADT Security Services. ADT is a global provider of alarm systems that can protect buildings with an audible alarm, cameras, or even a dispatch service that calls the police or a security service when a break-in attempt occurs.

Hughes's initial meeting is this Thursday (details at the end of this story) and Hughes has also invited representatives from private security firms that sell alarm systems and provide patrol services. Hughes said he wants to bring more than one security provider to the meeting so that Wasilla PD won't be put in the position of apparently recommending one company over another, but also so that business owners know that the security business is competitive.

Stotler will be there, as will John Cole of Guardian Security. It is possible, of course, to buy hardware from catalogues or over the Internet and install a system yourself, but Cole said it's important to note that security firms sell service, not just gear.

"We can dispatch the police department or call you at home. We can also monitor by employee code who turned it off and who turned it on," Cole said. "And we can come by and shake the door and make sure the building is secure -- we've been doing that for years."

Strip malls seem to be popular among burglars, who use the back side of a building to enter so they can work out of sight as they break in. Taking a building's overall layout into account is important for renters and landlords.

Mark Lee of Lee Realty is a broker who specializes in commercial real estate. Lee serves commercial renters and buyers looking for retail, office or warehouse space. Lee said the most important thing that a landlord can do is provide good exterior lighting and eliminate hiding places outside the businesses.

"If you're trying to keep [burglars] from breaking in after you're gone, then you can at least make it so they're doing it under light," Lee said. Tenants and landlords can cooperate to make sure that a property doesn't have hiding places like tall shrubs or dumpsters immediately next to the building.

What Hughes wants to leave behind when he returns to school in Colorado this fall might be best described as a seed.

"Hopefully I can get it started to where businesses can get it up and going on their own and they can continue and hopefully eliminate some of the vandalism and burglary that's been going on," Hughes said.

The initial meeting for the business watch organization will take place Thursday Aug. 1, at 7 p.m. in the theater at the Alaska Club Valley in Wasilla. Wasilla PD would like to invite and include area business owners and managers from outside city limits as well.

For more information on protecting your business from crime, visit the National Crime Prevention Council on the Internet at www.ncpc.org.