ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – There will be some new eyes at Coronado Center to crack down on retail theft suspects. On Thursday, the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) announced their new satellite substation at the mall, taking the spot where APD used to be. 

Deputies and the general manager of Coronado unveiled their collaborative effort to tackle retail crime. 

“With millions of people visiting uptown each year, there’s always a few bad apples in the crowd, right? Just here in Coronado Center, we have 13 million visitors a year that shop here at Coronado Center. So, for those would-be thieves out there, look out. ‘Cause there’s a new sheriff in town,” said Corondo Center General Manager Randy Sanchez. 

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BCSO said their deputies won’t necessarily be staffed at the substation, but it will be used more for operations, recruiting, and other events. 

Even though there won’t be deputies stationed there, BCSO said there was a 90% decrease in retail crime following previous operations they’ve held at the mall. 

APD had a substation at Coronado for years, but they told KRQE News that their lease was not renewed, and they moved out of the mall a few months ago. 

Sheriff Manny Gonzales said he hopes their presence will give shoppers and mall employees an extra sense of security. 

“There’s a lot of fear with the employees working at a place when there’s a lot of crime, and when you have a reduction in that and they feel safer, then you have a better service. You have a better place to shop, and you have a more welcoming community,” said Sheriff Gonzales. 

Gonzales explained he hopes to open more of these satellite substations in other locations around the metro. 

APD said Coronado wanted their entire organized crime unit working out of the mall, but the idea was not feasible. They are working with the Attorney General’s office on a retail crime initiative that would be citywide.