Town & Country Business Watch

BIZ ALERT!

Join Town and Country’s City-Wide

“Business Watch E-Mail Alert Notification Network”

The Business Watch Program is a partnership between the business community and the Town and Country Police Department. It enables individual businesses to take an active part in preventing and reducing crime on business premises through sharing information, raising awareness, and improving communication. Members are alerted about robberies, burglaries, forged, stolen or lost checks and credit cards, stolen identities, counterfeit bills, names of persons actively passing bad checks, current business scams, shoplifters, area vandalism, and other topics of interest.

During the past several months, members of the Town and Country Police Department, along with assistance from resident volunteers and two Interns, have personally visited, telephoned, or e-mailed every business, school, nursing home, church, etc… within the city limits of Town and Country to establish the Business Watch Program.

Just imagine this scenario. A local criminal has hit several retail stores in the Town and Country area where they have been identified as passing bad checks. The police department is aware of the situation and has a description of the fraudulent person and what checks they are using. Through the Business Watch program the police are able to pass this information on to the local businesses so that all employees are aware of what to watch for. Then, when the "bad guy" enters into your store to pass the next bad check, you are one step ahead and they are caught.

As a partnership, Business Watch works by two-way communication between program members and the Town and Country Police Department. In turn, businesses can notify the Town and Country Police of crimes or suspicious activity at their location. If warranted, police will warn the other Business Watch members by forwarding that information over the program's network.

There is also a social component to Business Watch. The better you know the people who work in your neighboring businesses, the more likely you – and they -- are to look out for one another. If you are already a member, it is a good idea to make personal contact with your neighboring businesses and let them know you are an active participant and encourage them to do the same. Discuss how you can work together to prevent crime and keep an eye on each other's property and business interest.

The role of Business Watch participants is strictly non-contact, observation only. Suspicious activity should be reported to 911 immediately, even if it means taking a chance you are wrong.

NEVER endanger yourself. Rather, learn to be a good witness. Take note of unique or unusual characteristics such as scars, tattoos, clothing, etc. Note the direction the person goes and get a license plate number and vehicle description if possible.

If the situation is occurring at the moment call 9-1-1, but if it is not an emergency or it is something that occurred while your business was closed, call 314.432.1000.

Two “Biz Alerts” have already been sent. The first alert notified merchants in the Manchester Meadows Shopping Center that a stolen check was used to purchase merchandise at one of the businesses located in the complex. A second alert was sent to provide suspect information regarding two business burglaries that occurred in the city of Creve Coeur.

For more information or to join Town and Country’s Business Watch, contact Police Officer Chris Hunt at 314.432.4696.