BLOOMINGTON - Two purse snatchings and four incidents of indecent exposure this month have the owners of businesses in an east-side building looking for help from city officials.

Mike Shabah has grown weary of the frequent problems caused by a group of teenage boys who hang around the strip mall at East Empire Street and Hershey Avenue. Shabah owns a convenience store and coin-operated laundry that have been the targets of criminal activity by the youngsters.

"They're just bad kids," Shabah said.

Kim Vu, who owns a nail salon with her husband several doors down, also is tired of the problems. Three of the four indecent exposures happened in front of her salon.

Youth with 23 complaints

On Wednesday, police said they arrested a 17-year-old boy who exposed himself to a woman outside the laundry. The charge is the twenty-third complaint for a variety of crimes against the youth, according to police records.

He was issued two ordinance violation tickets July 13 for taking a woman's purse and he also was charged in July with indecent exposure.

Shabah was relieved Wednesday afternoon that one of the minors whom he believes regularly cause trouble for customers and store owners had been caught by police.

Purse taken at laundry

On July 13, Shabah was called to the laundry by a woman whose purse was taken by one of the boys. Christine Aussieker of Bloomington was sitting at a table near the front window when the teenager came from behind.

"He put his forearm against my shoulder and pushed me before grabbing my purse. Three kids were with him. They took off and I took off after them, running," said Aussieker.

Aussieker and Shabah chased the boys down the sidewalk and around the corner to an apartment complex on Todd Drive.

Police responding to the call brought several youngsters out of the apartment complex. After talking with police, one of the boys - who initially denied involvement - produced Aussieker's purse, police said.

The minor, whom police did not identify because of his age, was issued ordinance violation tickets for disorderly conduct and criminal damage to property. The violations each carry a $50 fine.

Aussieker and Shabah were critical of the consequences doled out by police.

"I just want them to pay for what they've done. It's like, because they were juveniles, it didn't matter," Aussieker told The Pantagraph.

Bloomington police spokesman Duane Moss disputes claims by Aussieker and Shabah that they could provide solid identification.

"If there was evidence that he had stolen the purse, we would have arrested him," said Moss.

Moss denied the activity is part of what police refer to as hybrid gangs, loosely organized groups of neighborhood youths who commit crimes and harass residents.

Meeting with mayor

Mayor Steve Stockton met last week with Charles Aussieker, husband of the purse-snatching victim. Stockton also plans to meet today with storeowners and police to talk about the problems at the shopping plaza.

Stockton said he asked police for details of the July 13 incident and was told insufficient evidence existed to charge the youngsters.

"It's difficult for me to second-guess," he said. "I have to rely on the officers who were there."

Adding to Shabah's frustration is an unsolved purse snatching that took place a week before the July 13 incident.

"The woman had to have her car towed because they took her keys," Shabah said of the earlier theft.

Indecent exposure

Vu was taking care of customers earlier this month when one of the boys exposed himself outside the window of her shop. She did not report it, but called police when it happened two more times within days.

"We wish they would not hang around. We've never had a problem like this before," said Vu.

Shabah said he has banned the youngsters from his store.

Before the incident Wednesday, things had been quiet since July 13, said Shabah, but he still plans to install security cameras in hopes of discouraging further criminal activity.

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FYI

What to do if you're the victim of a crime:

- Try to remain calm. Don't show signs of panic or anger.

- Don't resist someone who wants your purse, wallet or keys.

- Pay attention to details that could help police, such as a physical description of the robber and the direction in which the robber flees.

- Call police as soon as possible and call police every time an incident occurs.

- Remain on the scene until help arrives.

SOURCE: Bloomington Police Department