The East Montgomery County Improvement District’s Safe Shopper program, which consists of increased security patrols by the Montgomery County Precinct 4 Constable’s Office before, during and after the holiday shopping season, is also responsible for the arrest last Thursday, November 6 of an alleged arsonist.
Chief Deputy Barry Welch said a deputy constable patrolling the Porter area for the shoplifting prevention program was called to assist with traffic control around 2:20 p.m. while the Porter Fire Department extinguished several mobile home fires at Clayton Homes on U.S. Highway 59, just north of Wal-Mart. Upon realizing arson suspects were still in the area, more deputies on EMCID’s holiday patrol were called to assist. The deputies located and arrested one suspect. Precinct 4’s tracking blood hound followed the scent of a second suspect until it was lost. However, later Thursday night, the Constable’s Office located and arrested the second suspect.
The East Montgomery County Improvement District agreed to pay the Precinct 4 Constable’s Office $38,400 to provide extra patrols from October 15 through January 15 in areas like the Porter Wal-Mart, Porterwood shopping center and the Kroger Marketplace shopping center as a way to reduce shoplifting and general crime that tends to increase during the busy holiday shopping season.
“It’s money well spent,” said Frank McCrady, President/CEO. “We want shoppers to be able to come to the area and know that we’ve got programs in place that look out for their safety. The Safe Shopper program is just one way EMCID is making East Montgomery County a better place to live, shop and work.”
This is the third year for the program. During the first three weeks of this year’s initiative (October 15 – November 6) deputies made 17 arrests, including seven felony arrests, issued 21 citations, and gave out 62 warnings.