MEMPHIS, Tenn. — There is a new effort to protect Memphis and Shelby County businesses from burglaries and smash-and-grabs. The crime is surging in Memphis in 2023 compared to last year.
According to the Memphis Public Safety Data Hub there was a 42.3% increase in business burglaries compared to this same time last year. When it comes to shoplifting, there have been a combined 2,845 felony and misdemeanor cases in Memphis, up 27.8% higher than in 2022.
For several local businesses like Odds Atelier, this was an experience they would rather forget. The streetwear business found itself the victim of a smash and grab back in December, what was supposed to be peak holiday shopping season.
“It was a pretty heart wrenching situation,” said Matthew Roumain, Odds Atelier Co-Owner.
Thieves smashed the front door, and made away with thousands of dollars of merchandise.
“There were a lot of tourists that had heard about us and even heard about the situation that had took place and they really rallied behind us,” said Roumain, “We’ve had tremendous support from not only the downtown area, but from people all over the city as well as really all over the world.”
The store was able to reopen later in March, and Roumain says it has continued to see great success.
On the flipside, similar burglaries are surging in Memphis. It is why the Shelby County District Attorney’s office is partnering with the Memphis Police Department to create a retail crime task force. The office says this will see a team of attorneys ready to review crimes, and track repeat offenders.
“I am glad that the politicians and the lawmakers are really taking this issue seriously,” said Roumain, who went on to add, this program should only be one piece of a broader solution.
The co-owners and other Memphians want schools and local businesses to get involved. Roumain hopes together, they can help create alternative paths and job opportunities for young people, and help prevent them from committing crime in the first place.
“There’s a tremendous amount of intellectual capital down here and business acumen and savvy. If we can come together with the city and create entrepreneurship programs, that could be a tremendous step in the right direction,” said Roumain, “That’s something we would be willing to do.”
The District Attorney’s Office tells ABC24 there are still a lot of details that need to be worked out for the potential task force. While there is not a concrete timeline for when the program will roll out, the office is meeting with several local businesses to make sure the task force is effective.