Savannah Business Leaders, Police Say They're Concerned About False Crime Reports

Savannah business and tourism groups say false crime reports could be bad for business.

Leaders of several tourism and business organizations joined police at a press conference Feb. 6, where authorities promised to prosecute people who file false reports.

Savannah-Chatham police say a Florida couple claimed to be the victims of a robbery and mugging early Feb. 2 in a busy tourist area. But authorities say video evidence indicates that the couple initiated a confrontation that led to a fight.

Michael Owens, president of Savannah’s Tourism Leadership Council, says false reports can unnecessarily frighten visitors and residents.

"Any type of perception, particularly false perception certainly has a ripple effect on our business community and our residential community," he says.

The CEO of the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce, Bill Hubbard, says businesses scouting for locations to develop and convention groups looking for meeting sites sometimes ask about the city’s crime rate.

Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Chief Jack Lumpkin says the recent incident is still being investigated, and charges may be filed.

In a separate incident last year, Savannah police charged two Atlanta-area men for their role in a fight in another tourist area along the Savannah River. The
men claimed they were the victims, but police said video evidence contradicted their story.