Businesses around Snohomish County join crime watch

Published 9:40 pm Monday, April 20, 2009

EVERETT — When it comes to fighting crime, small steps can make a big difference for business owners around the county.

A group similar to a neighborhood crime watch but focusing on businesses wants to bring local company owners and police together to help make communities safer, said Tony Myhre, a board member of Snohomish County Business Watch.

Small and large businesses alike are already struggling through the troubled economy, and crime only further hurts their revenues and reputations, Myhre said. The goal of the watch group is for members to share information and learn how to avoid being easy targets for crooks.

The group plans to hold its first quarterly public meeting Wednesday to talk about preventing employee theft and fraud. “That’s something companies can shelter themselves from,” Myhre said. A Snohomish County sheriff’s detective will speak at the meeting.

Business owners often don’t realize that a few small changes can play a big role in preventing crime, Myhre said. “Sometimes it’s just a matter of changing a light bulb or putting a sign somewhere,” he said. “Even making a phone call to report something.”

These precautions are especially important for small businesses that can’t splurge on big security measures, Myhre said.

Some business owners rely too much on local police to protect them. They need to take responsibility, Myhre said. Keeping lights on at night, making sure the locks are sturdy and nothing valuable is visible through the windows — all these moves can deter criminals.

Community business watch is not a new idea, he said. Seattle and Bellevue have successful programs.

Just sharing information about crime can empower local business owners and help them stay afloat in these difficult times, Myhre said. “It just helps people to stay abreast of what’s going on.”

Katya Yefimova: 425-339-3452, kyefimova@heraldnet.com.