Outskirts of San Pedro
Mall "Jackpot" For
Thieves
The doors outside of the
San Pedro Mall, as well
as Terramall on the East
side of San José has
become a jackpot for
criminals, intercepting
pedestrians as they
leave the commercial
centres.
The Organismo de
Investigación Judicial (OIJ)
has been taking action,
breaking up a gang of
thieves earlier this
week, that dedicate
themselves to "working"
the malls.
However, the private
security guards at San
Pedro and Terramall say
that is not enough as
their hands are tied by
legislation that
prohibits them from
acting outside the
limits of the mall.
The latest case is that
of 35 year old Édgar Alberto
Lizano, who was shot by
an assailant while
trying to defend his
girlfriend, Andrea
Herrera, from having her
cellular telephone
stolen as the couple
walked outside the San
Pedro mall on Tuesday.
Lizano works for one of
the many companies
located in the office
building of the San
Pedro Mall and like many
others has fallen victim
to criminals lurking
outside the limits of
the mall to strike.
According to information
by the OIJ, a total of
106 people have been
victim of attacks
outside the San Pedro
Mall between January
2005 and April 2007 and
a total of 405 attacked
outside various malls
during the same period.
Lizano is now at home
recuperating from his
wounds after been
discharged from the
hospital Calderón
Guardia, where he was
given medical attention.
Lizano's brother, Cesar,
told ICR that his
brother will recover
from his wounds but will
take some time to get
over the psychological
scar.
Guido Granados, a
representative of the
private security company
hired by the mall, the
outer limits of the mall
are fertile grounds for
criminals to strike,
since they cannot act,
making the bus stops and
taxi stands targets as
customers from the mall
and workers of the
office buildings leave
the commercial centre.
Granados explained that
his company has asked
for more police presence
in the area and that
although they have good
working relationship
with the Fuerza Pública
(police), the lack of
patrols is their worst
complaint.
Francisco Quesada,
subdirector of the Policía de San José,
admits to problems with
maintaining an effective
patrol of the area,
mainly due to lack of
officers and vehicles.
To put a stop to the
problem, the OIJ
arrested Wednesday
morning six young men
who have been known for
attacks outside the San
Pedro Mall, two of which
are minors - 15 years of
age - and being charged
with 70 separate
attacks.
"I tried to take away
his knife and was shot
twice in the process",
Lizano told the police,
when around 8:30pm, he
and his girlfriend were
leaving the office
complex of the mall on
their way home. |
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