The News10NBC Team details breaking News, Traffic and Weather.
GREECE, N.Y. — Holiday shopping is picking up at the Mall at Greece Ridge, and so is the police presence.
RELATED: Greece police to increase patrols at the Greece Ridge Mall this holiday season
Mall representatives said that prior to this year, holiday shopper numbers were relatively flat due to the impact of COVID-19. This year, however, the mall is seeing a resurgence of shoppers.
The mall experienced a 23% increase in shoppers on Black Friday compared to the previous five years.
Jim Reed, security manager at Greece Ridge, said the increased police presence makes their job easier.
“We don’t have to wait for a response time from the road,” Reed said. He added that since Friday, any shoplifter reported has been detained or taken into custody.
November and December are the mall’s busiest months, with about 40% more shoppers than the rest of the year, mall representatives said.
Greece police will maintain their increased presence through the New Year. The mall expects another influx of shoppers after the holidays for returns and exchanges.
Bianca Roberts, a shopper, witnessed police responding to a theft a few weeks ago.
“I saw just, like, two people with, like, three or four cartloads of stuff run out,” Roberts said. She felt better knowing police were present.
Many other shoppers had a similar response.
“It makes you feel safer to know that they’re around, you know? It might bother some people if you’re doing wrong, but if you’re not doing anything wrong, you have nothing to worry about,” said shopper Catherine James.
Greece police have assigned officers to the mall year-round since 2022. The increased holiday presence is preventative.
On Black Friday, they arrested one person for shoplifting, three for criminal trespassing, and made several other larceny arrests nearby.
While some shoppers expressed initial concern about the police presence, most felt reassured once they saw there were no ongoing investigations.
RELATED: Greece Ridge Mall records highest number of Black Friday shoppers in years