Cops See Spike In Robberies At Popular West End Tourist Destination
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DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Is one of North Texas' most familiar and popular family and tourist destinations safe?
The answer is NO, according to the chairman of the West End Association in Downtown Dallas where individual robberies are up a whopping 1800 percent compared to the same time last year.
Dallas Police records show 19 robberies of individuals through September of this year compared to only 1 over the same period last year.
The head of the West End Association, which represents several dozen businesses, expressed his frustration in a statement to CBS11. "The system is broken and must be fixed. As business owners and residents, we feel we have the right to feel safe in our own community and, unfortunately, we often do not. If visitors feel unsafe, they will not come."
Many restaurateurs in the West End said their employees are being targeted in parking lots after hours. Jorge Basurto is a waiter who is taking safety precautions.
"I just try to just watch my back I was the type of guy that I would just get off work and use my phone after work but now I've got be aware," said Basurto.
The West End Association wants its concerns to be taken seriously because of the millions of dollars a year it brings in.
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