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Chesapeake Square Mall

jrheault

New member
Joined
Oct 10, 2010
Messages
5
Location
Portsmouth Virginia
So today I visited the Chesapeake Square Mall to shop for engagement rings with my girlfriend. we entered via the Portsmouth blvd facing entrance of JC Penny. prior to entering i checked the doors, windows, entrance for any signs prohibiting the carry of weapons, since i was openly carrying a hand gun, double magazine holder, and sheathed 3.5" knife on my belt. upon seeing no signs i entered the mall and proceeded to shop for over an hour, make an expensive purchase and move on. Then i was set upon by a security guard who informed me that "all this right here ain't allowed" (pointing to my belt). and in an excitable manner informing me that i had to leave. I tried explaining to him that i was willing to leave but that so he knew there was no sign posted on the entrance i came in. unfortunately he wasn't willing to listen to anything i had to say. God forbid anyone with malicious intent ever encounter this high strung and in my opinion ignorant security guard. He also informed me that it was illegal to carry my gun without a permit and would hear nothing to the contrary. needless to say i left rapidly, returned my weapons to my vehicle, then proceeded back into the mall to obtain his name and again try to inform him of the lack of a sign. i was again met with the same unwillingness to hear me out. I was able to locate the signs that are posted, which are inside the first set of doors to the mall, and listed 3rd or 4th down it does in fact say that weapons are not permitted. Again one of these signs was NOT at the entrance i came in. I just finished sending an e-mail to the company that owns the mall informing them that i will no longer be a patron of their mall and suggesting the use the easily found no weapons symbol on the outside of the glass at each entrance to the mall. For those of you who are not familiar with this mall, its known for being a bad area.
 

Grapeshot

Legendary Warrior
Joined
May 21, 2006
Messages
35,317
Location
Valhalla
Please never encourage or suggest that gun buster signs be posted.

Might have included in your email the poor manner in which the security officer conducted himself and his lack of knowledge on the laws.
 

jrheault

New member
Joined
Oct 10, 2010
Messages
5
Location
Portsmouth Virginia
Please never encourage or suggest that gun buster signs be posted.

Might have included in your email the poor manner in which the security officer conducted himself and his lack of knowledge on the laws.

I did include that, sorry for not including it in this post. I would prefer the gun buster sign over some poorly posted sign that gives a cracked out security guard all the reason he needs to draw on me. I also suggested that they allow open carry in their mall since its in a bad area.
 
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skidmark

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 15, 2007
Messages
10,444
Location
Valhalla
Chesapeake Square Mall has armed security?

Or was this an unarmed nutcase deciding to go all ballistic in the face of someone obviously carrying a firearm?

You can cure ignorance, but stupid starts in the genes.

stay safe.
 

jrheault

New member
Joined
Oct 10, 2010
Messages
5
Location
Portsmouth Virginia
Since when has Western Branch been a bad area? This is news to me, and I've been living in the area for over 18 years.

I'm not sure if the guards there are armed or not, I mean in any location that doesnt allow fire arms. I've lived here for 5 and had no problems but pull up the crime map from the portsmouth city police dept. i'm sure chesapeake has one too. much like cockroaches in the walls, criminals scurry in western branch when the lights come on. Now thats not to say there arent some nice residential areas. i live in Ebony Heights though, which is not one of those nice areas lol. First time home buyer, neighborhood looked nice enough that i didnt research it, nor did i know its name.
 

mercutio545

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2006
Messages
469
Location
VA
Crime reports can be found in the local section of the paper. I look over them every now and then. I've never seen anything worthwhile. Some domestic violence, theft, drug-related offenses, etc. Happens everywhere. Churchland may be a different story (I definitely wouldn't want to walk around Ebony Heights at night, unarmed), but I've never considered Western Branch to be a bad area as a whole (especially after going to school in Richmond. I almost got used to falling asleep to the sounds of sirens and gunshots).
 

user

Accomplished Advocate
Joined
Feb 12, 2009
Messages
2,516
Location
Northern Piedmont
You might get more mileage out of complaining to the store in which you made the "expensive purchase". Tell THEM you won't be back because of your having been assaulted by the "security guard". Enclose a copy of the receipt and tell them to let you know when it's safe to return to the store.
 

jrheault

New member
Joined
Oct 10, 2010
Messages
5
Location
Portsmouth Virginia
i just think its ridiculous that malls don't allow any type of carry. Thank goodness i very rarely go to the mall. Good old walmart allows open carry and so do Krogers and my Food Lion so i'm pretty set on that. Never had a problem in any restaurants or bars either, although i've only been open carrying for a couple months.
 

wylde007

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2009
Messages
3,035
Location
Va Beach, Occupied VA
The funniest part (to me) about their disdain for lawful carry is that they cannot even prevent, by their signs, a lawful citizen from entering the property.

That citizen would still have to be told to leave and refuse in order to be trespassing.

Also, if one were to CC, how would they ever know? They wouldn't. Hence: dumb.
 

TFred

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2008
Messages
7,750
Location
Most historic town in, Virginia, USA
The funniest part (to me) about their disdain for lawful carry is that they cannot even prevent, by their signs, a lawful citizen from entering the property.

That citizen would still have to be told to leave and refuse in order to be trespassing.

Also, if one were to CC, how would they ever know? They wouldn't. Hence: dumb.
Suggest you read through the last couple pages of the Chesapeake Hospital thread. It isn't as clear-cut as you seem to think.

TFred
 

ocholsteroc

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2010
Messages
1,317
Location
Virginia, Hampton Roads, NC 9 miles away
no guns allowed there I checked before. So what is the guard going to do if a gun man comes? point to the NO GUN SIGNS? yeah really dumb, thats why I do not support malls anymore. My safty is more important. I can always order online.
 

Average Dad

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2010
Messages
53
Location
tidewater, Va
Chesapeake Square

You are correct the property is very poorly posted. So poorly in fact it makes me question the local managers committment to corporate policy. I spoke with thier security "Captain" last month who explained to me that it's Simon malls policy not to allow OC or CC. She seemed very sympathetic and knew the law, but that her hands were tied. I've since stopped doing business there unless it is absolutely unavoidable. Now a letter will be sent to Simon Properties explaining why. On the bright side, I've no issues with OC in the outlying busnises that "ring" the mall proper.
 
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jrheault

New member
Joined
Oct 10, 2010
Messages
5
Location
Portsmouth Virginia
I agree with you on the other stores in the area. I've had 0 problems at any other location, although my girlfriend did have an elderly lady ask her if that was a gun she had on her hip (she insists on wearing a theigh holster). it was kinda funny. i also had a gas station worker ask if it was a stun gun. All in all i notice people's concern is directly related to what i'm wearing. If i'm in my OD range pants and a tan shirt with boots on, i get strange looks. if i'm wearing khaki's and a polo shirt, nobody looks twice. i guess avoiding the "militant" look helps.
 

fully_armed_biker

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 27, 2009
Messages
463
Location
Portsmouth, Virginia, USA
SNIP... On the bright side, I've no issues with OC in the outlying busnises that "ring" the mall proper.

With the glaring exception of the Value City Furniture...posted in the front of the store. I actually had to go to the Chartway ATM, close by, late one night and taped two of the VCDL's "Gun Free Crime Zone" posters to the front doors.
 
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Average Dad

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2010
Messages
53
Location
tidewater, Va
With the glaring exception of the Value City Furniture...posted in the front of the store. I actually had to go to the Chartway ATM, close by, late one night and taped two of the VCDL's "Gun Free Crime Zone" posters to the front doors.

HA! That's awesome. I gotta print a couple of those out.

At the rate they are losing the national chain stores, Chesapeake Square Mall will be closing soon anyway. There's a lot of empty space there.
 

Grapeshot

Legendary Warrior
Joined
May 21, 2006
Messages
35,317
Location
Valhalla
I would really hate to see VCDL's name associated with any such activity? :(

PS - don't forget to smile for the security camera.
 
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