Or How to Lose Businesses 101
The owner of an appliance and furniture store begged for help at the Jackson City Council this morning after thieves broke into his business 15 times in the last six months. He told the City Council he always calls JPD but "nothing ever gets done."
Patrick Martin owns Martin's Furniture and Appliances on Medgar Evers Boulevard. Martin's has been in business for over 60 years. Thieves have stolen merchandise. They have stolen checks and used white-out to cash them. A truck was used to break into the store. Suffering through it all, Mr. Martin provided JPD with videos.The store owner charged JPD with doing nothing. He said they don't take fingerprints nor perform much of a crime scene investigation. There is a crime center camera down the street but he said he doubts JPD has even looked at it (What do you say about that, Mr. Fox?).
Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes spoke up in support of Patrick Martin. He said Jackson can not keep losing businesses. "The sales tax in this city in the last 20 years has gone down almost 30 percent. We cannot keep losing businesses. Cities need sales tax; counties do not receive sales tax. But people like Martins closing down, it's going to hurt us even more. We're not going to be able to pay firemen, policemen, and others because poor people cannot pay these taxes," said Mr. Stokes.
Unfortunately, no one from JPD came up to speak to Mr. Martin.
NEXT!
Transcript.
Patrick Martin: Good morning. I’m Patrick Martin. I represent Martin’s Furniture and Appliances. We have a business off Medgar Evers. We’ve been in business for over 60 years. And I’m here because of all the break-ins we keep having, and we can’t get anything done. We’ve been broken into probably 15 times in the past six months. The prior year, probably another 10 times.
We’ve given over video—videos of people coming in, breaking in. We’ve given over the tools that they used, trying to get them to come in and get fingerprints off of it, and nothing ever gets done. We were broken into not last night, the night before, and I had the officers come out there and they had merchandise out in our parking lot that they had taken from our store. And I said they were chrome rims, and I’m like, "You could get fingerprints off the merchandise," and they left—they didn’t even take anything with them.
I mean, I don’t know what else to do on it. It’s time and time again. I give them video evidence. And one time, they came in and stole issued checks from our location, and they used White-Out and reissued the checks and put it in their own bank account. And the money went into their bank account, and I’ve told police this, and they still don’t get anything done, and they have the person's bank account information.
I just don’t know where to go with it. There’s been other times where we’ve recovered something like a sledgehammer that they used, and we tell the police, and it takes them almost a day and a half to even show up. I mean, we’ve been there for 60 years. How many other businesses are like that in Jackson?
We’ve had our front doors—they pulled a truck up to it with chains and actually ripped the front doors out. To replace that is very expensive. They have a camera like a half a block down the street. And I tell the police, "You all probably have a video of the people that are doing it." And they always tell me, "We’ll check in on it and get back to you." Nothing ever gets done. And that’s about all I have to say. I know my brother’s here too, and he wanted to talk about it also. But thanks for hearing me.
[00:03:16] Council Member Kenneth Stokes: Thank you. Mr. President, this is the company that we had on the agenda, and Hometown BBQ is at the Marshall Shopping Center that we're trying to save. You know, this company is a win-win for inner-city neighborhoods. People come, they're walking distance. They have layaway, things that poor people need. And to allow criminals to run good people out of these neighborhoods is absolutely wrong. We need to run the criminals out of these neighborhoods and keep helping people like Martin.
I just hope—and I’m going to see if we can meet with the US Attorney’s office and everybody else, because the sales tax in this city in the last 20 years has gone down almost 30 percent. We cannot keep losing businesses. Cities need sales tax; counties do not receive sales tax. But people like Martins closing down, it's going to hurt us even more. We're not going to be able to pay firemen, policemen, and others because poor people cannot pay these taxes. What we got to do is run those people that's doing this.
The Hometown BBQ, Mr. President, has a copy, photos of the gentleman doing it on the bicycle. I think from our investigation, someone bought three houses in the neighborhood, and one of them is hiding them—they go there, young thief living with grandma. And as that thief lives with grandma, they create havoc throughout that neighborhood. And because, as I stated, the zone, we need to go back to the beat system where we can see police officers.
Medgar Evers needs Martins. I'll say it again: Medgar Evers Boulevard needs Martins. And I know they have a for-sale sign now. If we don't get these criminals out of these inner-city neighborhoods, there's not going to be anything left. We lost McDonald’s on Woodrow Wilson because some fool out there shooting guns. We lost Kentucky Fried Chicken on Woodrow Wilson—who takes chicken out of the inner-city neighborhood? We lost the drugstores because people go in there stealing. We got to give these businesses a chance to succeed.
And I just hope, Mr. Martin, that y'all will meet with Mr. Tillotson—don’t leave the meeting, kind of talk to him—and we can probably get a plan. And as you said, cameras are there, and people know and have an idea who's doing it. We're trying to get a reward offered to make people talk a little more. Once the reward is offered, it's only if that person is caught and convicted. It's not going to be issued any other way. But we hope y'all will reconsider leaving the community because the community is not part of this stealing and trying to run you out of business. The community supports Martin's. Thank you.
[00:06:34] Council Member Tina Clay: Mr. Martin, we want you to stay in the community, and we hope that crime prevention will be something that works and that we can prevent crimes in the community. And we appreciate you in the community.
[00:06:47] Council Member Kenneth Stokes: I was telling the brother, we're not going to let him speak because he didn't sign up. But could I say to Pastor Thurman, this is an outstanding preacher, young man. I had a chance to do a revival a couple weeks ago...
18 comments:
Woke Chieftess Brackney will solve all the problems——or sue everyone on the way out like her last job
JPD doesn't care. I spent 3 hours at headquarters filing charges agains a crackhead who broke 8 windows out of the church. 5k worth the damages which is a felony. I gave them the video etc. When i got through filing the charges they had already released her and she came back and broke 2 more windows. I had to actually do their job for them. I went and asked a homeless guy where she lives. I told the police that and they finally found her. The detective was a joke also. If you have property crime in Jackson you can forget it. Just move it's easier.
Then when he leaves and there is a furniture store desert the locals will complain racism prevents them from having access to furniture stores.
Not to worry as JPD's new "Dr" Chief is on it, but only if the owner fits a certain demographic.
Well, it’s not just him. I have personally seen a dead body lay in the front yard of a house in Jackson over an hour after the call was made before anyone cared to show up. Short investigation and heard no more about it.
Our office was broken into downtown (before Capital Police) and it was all I could do to get someone at JPD to receive the video from me! The video had both primary perps clearly captured and they solicited the "help" of a homeless guy that had a very distinctive coat and non-matching shoes, so it would have been very easy to find him at least! I'm convinced JPD never looked at the video and I could never get anyone to call me back, so i just gave up.
My wife's car was broken into at Parham Bridges Park several years ago. I told the police exactly how to find the person. This is because the thief used my wife's credit card to purchase something at a store about 30 minutes after the theft. This store had very good security cameras. The cops said "naw, we will give you a police report for your insurance company (the window was busted in the car). But we ain't got time to go look at no cameras. Giving you a report is all we gonna do". I said "thanks for your effort and professionalism" (in a very sarcastic voice).
That’s what you have insurance for! That’s what the Democrats will tell you.
Does the Chief Doctor have a problem with wearing a uniform? So far she seems to enjoy wearing outfits that would lead one to believe she is a branch employee in a bank instead of a position of leadership.
15 break-ins in the last 6 months. 10 break-ins in the prior year. How many times has Miskellys in Madison been broken into in the same time period? What is the difference? Do we know?
Question: In this instance could you recruit the sheriff to help, being that he is the highest-ranking law enforcement official in the county?
She'll convince them their damages were only a perception.
@4:03pm Thank God for Capitol Police. They are such a great help. See the Wendy's carjacking today, and it will tell you why that doesn't happen much anymore (in their district at least.)
Oh, but sure as Hades lets give the water system back to this administrative braintrust.
I bought a washer and dryer from the Martins in 1998. The washer still works fine.
I have always tried to support locally owned small businesses instead of the big box stores. They had the best prices on appliances. I was hoping they would move to better area.
Does anyone know if City Furniture on Bailey Ave is still in business?
Chief PhD is already at it telling the Jackson City Council today that she wants to have college students make short social media videos in order to solve crimes.
I KID YOU NOT.
With all the pomp and ceremony that has been going on since the announcement of the new chief you would think she is the second coming! She can’t change the culture in Jackistan and will have absolutely no impact on crime.
She's trying hard to emulate the most recent democrat candidate for president. Just wait til she freaks out when a National Guard member doesn't salute her.
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