By Rachel Pleasant
Staff Writer

A string of robberies in downtown Charleston has businesses concerned but determined to carry on as usual.

Since Aug. 30, eight people, including six students, have been robbed near the College of Charleston, an area also heavily trafficked by tourists.

In the most violent incident, a student was stabbed on King Street near Hutson Street. As of this writing, no arrests had been made in the robberies.

In response to the crime wave, the Charleston Police Department has increased the number of officers patrolling the area by 15, bringing the total to 45, said Charleston Police Department spokesman Charles Francis.

Business owners, in particular late-night operations such as restaurants, which employ many college students, are taking extra precautions.

Randall Goldman, managing partner of Patrick Properties, which includes King Street’s Fish restaurant, the William Aiken House and the American Theater, said Charleston’s tight-knit restaurant community is looking out for its own.

“It is a concern. It highlights the need for attention to be placed on security. We talk about it every night at our line up before the restaurant opens. We always have a game plan,” Goldman said, adding that since the 2003 murder of Boathouse restaurant manger Patrick Ringwald, restaurants have put an extra emphasis on security.

Goldman’s servers walk from their restaurant to their cars or homes in groups to decrease their vulnerability. Many also are bringing clothes to change into after their shifts end, he said.

“Everybody knows servers have cash on them,” Goldman said.

One of Goldman’s fellow restaurateurs, Daren Wolfe, director of operations for 39 Rue de Jean, Coast and Good Food Catering, is being equally careful.

“We are one of the more vulnerable companies. Our employees are marked targets,” Wolfe said.

Wolfe has encouraged his employees to be aware of their surroundings. It is the only real way of protecting one’s self against an attack, he said.

“It’s everything from not leaving a purse, even if it’s empty, in the front seat and not walking around late at night,” he said. “We, as management, always walk females out to their cars. We try and pull out all the safety measures we can.”

Wolfe installed extra gates, barbed wire and floodlights last year to help protect his businesses, he said.

“But you never know if it’s going to be enough,” he said.

Wolfe is pleased that the police are increasing their patrols but said there is always something more that can be done.

“I appreciate the job they’re doing, and I know they have a hard job,” Wolfe said. “I have seen an increased police presence, but it’s one of those things where you wonder how long it will really last.”

At nearby Joe Pasta, manager Ron Pereira shared similar concerns.

“I think (the police) could work on it more,” Pereira said. “I know I’ve called the police and it’s taken 30 to 40 minutes for them to show up, if at all.”

So far, customers seem unfazed by the crime in the area, Goldman, Wolfe and Pereira said, but it is important to make sure people feel safe. It is vital to the livelihood of businesses.

“It’s critical. Word of mouth means so much. If you know someone who’s been accosted, it’s going to deter you,” Wolfe said.

Periera said the recent crimes should be a top priority for the city, especially those that happen along King Street north of Calhoun Street, which is emerging as a trendy place to do business.

“We’re growing,” said Periera, whose business is near Hutson Street where the student was recently stabbed. “If the city isn’t growing with us, we’ll never be able to prosper.”

Police spokesman Francis insists that while the latest robberies have gotten a great deal of attention, crime is not experiencing a significant increase in downtown.

By the end of September 2004, downtown had experienced 39 armed robberies. This year, that number stands at 40, Francis said.

Rachel Pleasant is a staff writer for the Business Journal. E-mail her at rpleasant@charlestonbusiness.com.

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