In response to America's Most Wanted airing the murder stories of Nancy and Joey Bochicchio and Randi Gorenberg on Saturday, February 16th, the police in Boca Raton and Palm Beach County finally released more information about the crimes. The fact that new information was divulged at this late date only serves to highlight the total mismanagement of these cases by every entity involved.

First, the owners of Town Center, Simon Property Group, Inc. (“Simon”) have been in the forefront of the denial movement. Simon has long been aware of problems in their parking lots and kept it hushed up. There are plenty of cameras in the mall to stop shoplifters but crimes against persons evidently were not as much a priority. By instituting "Up Front Parking" and taking over more spaces for valet parking Simon exacerbated the parking lot problems. Simon's initial silence on the murders and then its lame new parking proposals are troubling. The free parking is only until 5 p.m., for mothers with young children and expires Mother's Day. Are we to assume that women without children, including the elderly, women who enter the mall after five or after Mother's Day are not potential targets? Simon should take a serious look at its policies and make some concrete concessions that might even affect its bottom line.

The Boca Police Department's handling of crime frighteningly resembles the Keystone Cops. The police did not believe the woman who was kidnapped in August and even made her take a lie detector test. Then there was no warning to the public about the predator. Even after the Bochicchio's were murdered very little information was released and it was only in response to a national television show that we get more information. It has been almost a year since the Gorenberg murder and two months since the Bochicchio's and the police have no suspects. Shouldn't there be some forensic evidence? The Police Department needs to find the criminals and bring them to justice. Even more important for the future the police need to be proactive and focus on stopping predators and alerting the public to serious crimes.

The Boca Raton Mayor and City Council were also aware that Town Center parking areas are crime ridden. The initial response from the elected officials to the Gorenberg murder was null and the first reaction to the Bochicchio murders was disbelief. It was not until the City Council meeting almost one month later that they excoriated Simon. The Council should stop blaming Simon and do some inward introspection. Why were they unaware of the August kidnapping? Doesn't the police department keep the elected officials aware of town issues? Why did they wait almost a month to issue any public statements? There is a new incumbent Mayor and this is a good time to institute new procedures to assure that our elected officials do not get caught unaware again.

It is deeply troubling that three innocent lives have been lost in our community. Hopefully, Simon, the police and elected officials will learn from mistakes made in handling these cases so that they are more effective in thwarting such crimes and apprehending the perpetrators.

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