VIDEO: Increased Patrols For Local Stores

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) — After a rash of robberies in Lowndes County and Columbus, Lowndes County deputies are ramping up patrols.

Deputies will be increasing patrols around local stores and surrounding neighborhoods. The most common stores being hit by the crimes are local convenience stores.

“We stay on the road during hours, during the closing hours of business and just come in, check in, make sure everything is okay…”, said Captain of Criminal Investigations Ryan Rickert, “…make sure they haven’t noticed anything unusual or suspicious…”

Rickert says the department is doing their best with what they have, saying the department, “tries to do their best with the man power we have to keep a check on businesses during operating hours and while they’re closed so they’re not subject to burglary as well.”

Local store employees welcome the extra patrols.

Convenience store employee Sonya Miller said she “loves the increase in patrols because, “it guarantees my safety and other cashier’s safety to do work in the evening and the night shift.”

Rickert said stores must remain vigiliant.

“A lot of times, some of the smaller stores will find themselves in a situation where there’s only one clerk on duty at closing and there are a lot of tasks that need to get done in order to close the store so it’s ready for opening in the morning, and they can…get distracted sometimes.”

Investigators tell WCBI the Country Mart armed robbery from last week is still under investigation.