A slew of violent incidents in Burlington on Wednesday all happened in a 12-hour span.The incidents have visitors and businesses on alert and noting the uptick in crime.Canada is expected to lift its vaccination requirements Saturday, which will help pave the way for a busy leaf-peeping and holiday shopping season in Burlington.But with three violent crimes on Wednesday and the search for suspects who are still at large, Burlington businesses are calling for help and taking some matters into their own hands. Several high-profile crimes occurred on Wednesday, beginning with an assault and robbery at 7:30 in the morning at an ATM on St. Paul Street.Another assault and robbery occurred at 3:30 in the afternoon near the Walgreens on Cherry Street, before a gunfire incident in City Hall Park at 7:15 in the evening. These incidents all took place during the day, when people are out and about in downtown Burlington.“I mean, just coming out of the parking garage we’ve been approached by several people asking for change and hand-outs. And some disturbing occurrences just on the street just trying to get a parking spot,” said Robyn Snyder, who was visiting Vermont from New Jersey.Mark Bouchett, co-owner of Homeport, has also stepped up store safety. The store is initiating a new bag-valet system this week to try and mitigate the rise of theft.“People use shopping bags and backpacks to steal, and so we’re going to ask for them at the desk, we’ll give people the receipt for it and we’ll give it back when they’re done shopping in the store. It’s sad but that’s where we’re at right now,” said Bouchett.Bouchett is calling for consistency between Burlington leaders in order for real change to come before the busy shopping season ahead.“We cannot accept this, we just can not accept this,” said Bouchett. “As stakeholders, I think we all need to come together.”The Burlington Business Association is taking some safety precautions as well. The Association met on Thursday to discuss bringing in private security.“We want to be able to do our part to make sure everyone feels safe. A lot of the initiatives the city is talking about are long-term, to talk about what’s happening with the police department a couple of years out,” said Kelly Devine, president of the Burlington Business Association. “Last winter, we did a downtown ambassador program during the holiday season and people really liked it.”
A slew of violent incidents in Burlington on Wednesday all happened in a 12-hour span.
The incidents have visitors and businesses on alert and noting the uptick in crime.
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Canada is expected to lift its vaccination requirements Saturday, which will help pave the way for a busy leaf-peeping and holiday shopping season in Burlington.
But with three violent crimes on Wednesday and the search for suspects who are still at large, Burlington businesses are calling for help and taking some matters into their own hands.
Several high-profile crimes occurred on Wednesday, beginning with an assault and robbery at 7:30 in the morning at an ATM on St. Paul Street.
Another assault and robbery occurred at 3:30 in the afternoon near the Walgreens on Cherry Street, before a gunfire incident in City Hall Park at 7:15 in the evening. These incidents all took place during the day, when people are out and about in downtown Burlington.
“I mean, just coming out of the parking garage we’ve been approached by several people asking for change and hand-outs. And [there have been] some disturbing occurrences just on the street just trying to get a parking spot,” said Robyn Snyder, who was visiting Vermont from New Jersey.
Mark Bouchett, co-owner of Homeport, has also stepped up store safety. The store is initiating a new bag-valet system this week to try and mitigate the rise of theft.
“People use shopping bags and backpacks to steal, and so we’re going to ask for them at the desk, we’ll give people the receipt for it and we’ll give it back when they’re done shopping in the store. It’s sad but that’s where we’re at right now,” said Bouchett.
Bouchett is calling for consistency between Burlington leaders in order for real change to come before the busy shopping season ahead.
“We cannot accept this, we just can not accept this,” said Bouchett. “As stakeholders, I think we all need to come together.”
The Burlington Business Association is taking some safety precautions as well. The Association met on Thursday to discuss bringing in private security.
“We want to be able to do our part to make sure everyone feels safe. A lot of the initiatives the city is talking about are long-term, to talk about what’s happening with the police department a couple of years out,” said Kelly Devine, president of the Burlington Business Association. “Last winter, we did a downtown ambassador program during the holiday season and people really liked it.”
