Vagrants and homeless bring crime to north Jackson business corridoor

Updated: Aug. 5, 2020 at 6:55 PM CDT
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JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - A north Jackson business tells 3 on Your Side that thefts, homeless and vagrants are getting out of hand in the Old Canton Road business corridor.

Managers at Green Oak Nursery shared surveillance video with us of a man stealing pots from their business in the middle of the night last week. It’s not the first time this has happened.

In fact, the store has had to remove planters and plants from being stolen from in front of their store.

Managers say they've met with city officials about that problem and homeless, vagrants and squatters setting up around the neighborhood.

The crime element is now forcing some of their customers away.

Eric McKie of Green Oak Nursery said, “It’s not encompassing problem of vagrancy homelessness, thievery, vehicles being broken into in various neighborhoods. We’ve had things stolen from us, other businesses have had problems. A friend of mine down the street had an auto-burglary happen a couple houses down from them.”

Business owners in the area are now working closely with Councilman Ashby Foote to find a remedy to the problems they're seeing.

They credit Jackson police for their efforts and are now asking them to increase patrols, especially at night when the crimes are occurring.

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