Keller sues store, claims it — not the city — is responsible for criminals, vagrants

The City of Albuquerque is taking legal action once more against the Adam Food Market, situated at 7817 Central Avenue NE, a site notorious for criminal activities, including seven homicides since 2020. 

Mayor Tim Keller stressed Albuquerque’s supposed commitment to public safety and the responsibility of businesses to contribute to a secure community environment, especially in light of the repeated violent incidents associated with the market.

Despite a previous lawsuit to temporarily close the market being dismissed, the persistence of criminal activities under new ownership has prompted the city to initiate another lawsuit. 

Recent undercover operations by the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) at the market led to multiple felony arrests and the seizure of illegal drugs and firearms, highlighting the ongoing issues at the location.

APD officials, having discussed the crime situation with the market’s new owners without receiving any subsequent cooperation, are now suing the establishment. APD Chief Harold Medina expressed optimism about building a stronger case this time around based on the new evidence the City gathered.

Mayor Keller pointed to what he claimed was a significant financial and resource burden the Adam Food Market has placed on the city, with $400,000 spent over four years addressing incidents at the location. According to Keller, this expenditure detracts from other essential city services and emergency responses. However, the lack of meaningful crime prevention and the emboldening of criminals and vagrants due to the City’s policies apparently don’t factor into the lawsuit.

The city’s legal team, led by City Attorney Lauren Keefe, is preparing to officially file the lawsuit in the coming week, aiming to address and mitigate the crime hotspot’s impact on the Albuquerque community, according to KRQE 13 News.

Across Albuquerque, businesses have been forced to hire private security to protect their properties, with the businesses being forced to remove vagrants from the premises, while the City’s ordinances clearly show it is Albuquerque’s responsibility. 

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7 thoughts on “Keller sues store, claims it — not the city — is responsible for criminals, vagrants”

  1. Another clown show that will cost the taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars. The results will be the same if they do nothing. The lawyers will get rich though. Maybe we should lock up the attorneys and judges and see if that makes a difference. Clown world!

  2. Criminal activities on Central Ave persist because catch and release is the norm due to the city’s leftist policies. Expect that too much of necessary police activity in the area is due to repeat offenders.

    Keller and gang closing the store for good will change nothing. An unjustified lawsuit.

  3. It is a bad business location due to drugs and crime, but Timmy is trying to take the heat of himself and his Chief by acting like he is doing something about this problem location.

  4. Just another distraction to avoid having to admit their failed communist policies. Albuquerque has become Portland SW replete with homeless encampments ,violent crime and unbridled corruption.

  5. Closed down the buses there’s plenty of videos showing drug use and other criminal activity on the buses and bus stops.

  6. It would be nice if the city would actually stop complaining about using funds allocated to the department for the exact purposes they’re meant. APD did that whole “central corridor cleanup”, made a big deal about it, then after a week held a press conference and stated they were taking a week off. What’s needed is constant presence. Not APD simply telling these people to “move along” from the location, which just let’s these people come right back when APD drives away. Albuquerque Community safety is a joke in this instance as well. They go to these groups of people handing out pamphlets with resources. That’s all well and good except guess what? These people WANT to be where they are because none of the shelters will let them get high. They get fed by these people handing out food, blankets and tents to them. The drug dealers are a stones throw away. All they have to do is stay put, panhandle, and all their needs are taken care of. $3 for a “bean” on a bad day, $1 for a lighter, same for a foil. Doesn’t take much time to scrape up $5 asking people for change. Harry and Tim wanna make a difference? ENFORCE THE TRESPASSING AND PANHANDLING LAWS. Don’t complain about businesses using the 911 services for what they’re there for. Have these officials ever thought of the fact that maybe the people that own/ work at these stores don’t try to interfere with these drug sales because they never know which time that interference will result in the employee or owner being shot in the face? Police are not constitutionally required to protect any individual, however they are at least in New Mexico, obligated to stop any crime that occurs in their presence. Which means all these times APD just drives by these people obviously smoking fentanyl, APD is not doing the very thing they are being paid for. If Harry and Tim wanna complain about wasting taxpayer funds, maybe they should take a look at themselves instead of store owners trying to feed their families. The people who run this store have another one pretty nearby, yet that one isn’t causing any sort of issue. So how is it the businesses fault? These cops and politicians need to stop trying to pass the blame off for their own inadequacies. I run a business. I’m almost willing to bet my life that if I called APD 3 times in a month to remove some of these people I’d be going through the same thing. But if I try to handle it myself I’d be “taking the law into my own hands” and would probably end up in jail for a longer period of time than the people I was trying to get rid of because they were committing a felony. Tim and Harry get no respect.

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