NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — Mayor Eric Adams called on New York City shoppers to remove their face masks when entering businesses in an effort to reduce retail crime.
"Do not allow people to enter the store without taking off their face mask, and then, once they're inside, they can continue to wear it if they so desire to do so," Adams said on 1010 WINS Monday morning of the "clear call" he's making to city shops.
Though the effort would contradict COVID-era recommendations to wear masks in enclosed public spaces, Adams argued that people often wearing masks are "fearful of the police catching them," not "fearful of the pandemic."
According to Adams, NYPD officers will also assist store workers by "beefing up" their "coverage" in Business Improvement District areas as well as "high shopping areas." He added that they are "also beefing up" their "surveillance and practices."
"We have something called 'paid detail,' where uniform officers are allowed during their off-duty hours to do some of the security at many of our stores and locations. It has always been successful," he said. "I recall, when I was a police officer, it being utilized, and we are calling on those high-end stores to also continue to do so."
The NYPD urged people to remove their masks when entering businesses again on Monday afternoon, as they detailed the ongoing investigation into the masked, hazmat-wearing suspect who robbed and killed a deli worker on the Upper East Side on Friday night.
Police said the same man is linked to other armed robberies in other boroughs in recent days.
"We have an obligation to make sure that these store owners feel safe as well," said NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey, who noted that he was "doubling down" on his similar "plea" from last week. "So as a peace offering, a sign of safety to those store workers, when we walk in, we should take down our masks. We should let them know that they're not in any danger, any harm."
Fernando Mateo, UBA's president and a former Republican mayoral candidate who attended the police press conference with other organization members, said that workers are "just trying to get back home, alive and safe, to our families."
Police and the UBA are now offering a $15,000 reward for anyone who can help find the shooter.
Meanwhile, according to NYD crime statistics released last week, overall crime was down 5.6% in February compared to the same month in 2022, with reported robberies down 10.5% and burglaries down 15%.
Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).
Related
Related
Related
