Police monitor Woodbury Common after looting threat

CENTRAL VALLEY — Woodbury police said that they will be watching over Woodbury Common Premium Outlet Center tonight after online remarks suggested the outlet center could be targeted for looting.

Some of the 250 stores at the complex have had their windows boarded up all week in response to the internet remarks, one of which announced a protest would be held there in honor of George Floyd at 8 p.m. on Thursday. An image of that announcement obtained by the Times Herald-Record included the message, “I’m in here in all the stores.”

Woodbury police Lt. Kevin Phillips said his department was taking the messages seriously and had prepared for any problems tonight. Officers also planned to watch businesses at nearby Harriman Commons Shopping Center, which is partly in Woodbury and partly in Monroe.

“We’re going to take precautions that it does not happen,” he said.

Woodbury Common has been closed since March 18 because of the coronavirus shutdown, although some stores — 41 as of Wednesday — and one eatery are selling merchandise over the phone for curbside pickup as permitted in the first phase of reopening businesses in the Hudson Valley. In-store retail shopping will resume in the second phase, which is expected to begin on Tuesday.

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The looting rumor and window boarding did not disrupt curbside pickups this week.

Simon Properties, the company that owns Woodbury Common and many other shopping centers, has taken similar precautions at other sites after getting similar types of looting threats or actual looting, according to published reports. Copley Place in Boston was one Simon-owned center that was said to have been looted.

Woodbury Supervisor Frank Palermo said the mall owner was being proactive and cautious about protecting Woodbury Common.

“The Town of Woodbury will be prepared if anyone comes up there tonight,” he said.