HOUSTON -- Near-record unemployment, the firm grip of the national recession and what appears to be an uptick in crime have some business owners concerned in the Montrose area.
"What we see is a lot of minor things going on that are enough reason to call the police," said Fred Walters, Jr., founder of Houston Buyers Club, a vitamin and supplement retailer.
Walters said he's seen several nearby businesses close their doors in recent months. And that has him worried. Crime hasn't been much of a concern -- until now.
"There's mental illness, there's homelessness, there is indecent exposure, those types of crimes are the reason we're calling the police a lot," he said. "If you don't stay on top of it, it grows."
Historically, crime spikes during the holiday shopping season. But this year is different. A recent survey of retailers brought a grim prediction that crime would continue to go up.
The Houston Police Department said crime near Houston Buyers Club is about what it was a year ago.
"Certainly this time of the year we have an increase in those types of crimes," said Jeff Stauber, a lieutenant with the Harris County Sheriff's Office. "I think the economic conditions have helped increase that type of crime as well."
"More people are getting desperate," said Walters. "And who would have thought that people would pocket a bottle of multivitamins?"
Walters said he planned to double to the amount Houston Buyers Club sets aside to cover theft. He also said he is taking steps to keep customers safe.
"The crime element in the neighborhood, compared to six years ago, is nothing like it is today. It's much better. But with the economy the way it is, it's gonna get worse."
