Albany Police Chief Eric Hawkins on Wednesday pushed back on claims by Stewart's Shops that it was closing its store at Manning Boulevard and Central Avenue due to rising public safety concerns.
Stewart’s announced this week it was closing the shop at 542 Central Ave. "following a surge in theft, robberies and threats of violence that have created an unsafe environment for our customers and our partners who work there."
But in a statement released Wednesday, Hawkins said Albany police crews nearly tripled self-initiated property checks at the Stewart's over the last year, which accounted for two-thirds of calls at the location.
"As a result, there were four reported violent crimes at that location last year, and none so far this year," Hawkins said. "We acknowledge that Stewart’s has the right to make a business decision, but APD has done everything possible to address their concerns at this location."
In announcing the store's closure for Thursday, Stewart's said on Monday that public safety concerns at the location had created an unsustainable business environment. It stated that over the past two years, the number and severity of incidents at the Manning Boulevard shop, ranging from robberies and theft to verbal and physical assaults, had increased.
"This unfortunate decision is driven by the need to ensure the safety of everyone who steps inside a Stewart’s," the company's statement said. "The decision was made as similar dynamics are prompting a growing number of national retailers to shut down stores in cities across the country."
Employees at the store were offered positions at other Stewart’s Shops.
The Albany PD did their best. We are very appreciative of their efforts and recognize how difficult their job is. We don’t blame them for the neighborhood problems.
— Gary Dake (@garydake) November 15, 2023