Muskegon Woman Missing!

[Dave]

If any of you happen to see this woman, please contact authorities! I don't usually pass along 'missing person' stuff as most of the stuff I see is from so far away that it would be unlikely that the person missing would be anywhere near us. In this case though, not only is it closer to home but I actually stop at the station this young lady works at usually a couple times a week and have of course talked to her. She is a friendly young lady and as the picture here shows, likes to smile. My last two visits were a little memorable in that most the time I stop there is to buy a couple newspapers to read while I have dinner.. the previous visit when I stopped they were out the papers I like to read. The more recent visit they had the papers so I went up and paid, she noted that yes, they had the papers this time around. I thought it was cool that she actually remembered the prior visit.. not that it was that big of a deal at all but just that it just seemed liked kind of a random thing that she would of bothered to remember.

Anyway, lets get this young lady home!

Task Force Investigating Store Clerk’s ‘Abduction’

MUSKEGON COUNTY, Mich. – The following news release was sent to local media Monday morning by the Muskegon Police Department.

A task force consisting of investigators from the Norton Shores Police Department, Michigan State Police, Muskegon County Sheriff’s Department, Muskegon Police Department and the Muskegon County Prosecutors Office have been investigating numerous tips that have been received on the missing persons report (Jessica Heeringa), which has since been reclassified as an abduction case. . At this time, four persons of interest have been interviewed and cleared of any connection in the abduction of Jessica.
This event occurred in late evening hours of April 26, 2013 at the Exxon Mobil gas station located at 1196 E. Sternberg Rd.

At approximately 11:15 pm NSPD officers were dispatched to the gas station on a suspicious activity report. Customers called 911 after entering the store to find no employees present. The employee scheduled to be working, Jessica Heeringa, was not able to be located.

Contact has been made with friends and family of 25 year old Jessica Heeringa but as of April 27, 2013 at 2:00 pm Jessica has not been located.

Jessica is described as a white female, 25 years old, 5’1 tall, approximately 110 lbs., blond shoulder length hair, and blue eyes. Jessica is also known to wear wired rim glasses. She may be wearing a blue collared shirt saying “Sternberg Exxon”.

Anyone who may have witnessed suspicious activity near the Exxon Mobil gas station is asked to contact Silent Observer at 231-72-CRIME ( 231-722-7463 ) or call 911.

UPDATE:

Based on evidence processed from the scene and various tips that have been received, this case is now being reclassified as an abduction.

It appears that Jessica Heeringa was preparing to close the store when this incident occurred. Her purse and other belongings were found undisturbed. In addition, the store’s cash drawer was found out and no money was missing.

Investigators are currently searching for a silver minivan, possibly a Chrysler Town and Country, that was seen in the area of the Exxon station prior to Jessica’s disappearance.

The driver is described as a white male, approximately 30-40 years old, approximately 6’ tall, medium to heavy build, broad shoulders, light brown or sandy blond wavy hair parted in the middle and slightly longer on top, wearing a bright red or orange sweatshirt.

Instructions:

Anyone who may have witnessed suspicious activity near the Exxon Mobil gas station or has any information relating to this case is asked to contact Silent Observer at 231-72-CRIME ( 231-722-7463 ) or call 911.

Read more: http://fox17online.com/news/stories/missing-woman-jessica-heeringa/...

[Willy]

The owner of this Exxon station is responsibe for providing a secure environment for his employees.  This station is in a remote area just off the freeway exit and anyone with half a brain knows that stations located near a freeway are more likely to be robbed due to a criminals easy access to that freeway. Also this is no small station. It's hard to understand how one employee could handle the entire station on their own. This was a crime waiting to happen. In my opinion the station owner knew he should have surveillance cameras but was gambling that nothing would happen. He gambled with his employees safety.

[XLFD]

Good EyE,

Willy did mention problems with being under surveillance in this December 2012 thread, but he made a distinction that makes his current stand consistent.  He mentioned being under government surveillance, rather than being under private surveillance in an area where personal safety is involved. 

Few people would argue with the right for a businessman to use the power of the security camera to monitor his own property, and the people who come into it.   He does have to be aware if people don't like it, they don't have to visit the business.

Few would argue with the government being able to monitor areas where there is a public security threat.  When they start pointing it elsewhere is when it becomes a concern. 

Security cameras can be a good preventative measure, depending on the perp, who, as you say, is to blame for this.  But it's a good practice, in my opinion, to second guess decisions and assign causes to what happens in accidents or crime scenes in order to prevent future occurrences.

[Lisa O'Brien]

But couldn't the same argument be made for government surveillance cameras - if it is the responsibility of the gas station owner to provide a secure environment, why is it not the governments responsibility to provide a secure environment for it's citizens.   

[AQUAMAN]

Some here are extrapolating my point to a dead end of accusations. I DID NOT blame the owner squarely for a crime he did not commit. It's his attitude, and supposed statements that are irresponsible and unreasonable. Given the circumstances, his statements to me sounded very argumentative and uncaring. Maybe that isn't the case, so prove it. In any event, he now wisely has installed some cameras, and hopefully, this business is more secure for the future. My question again to him or you would be, if his own kids worked there, at late night alone, would he have taken measures to install security cameras beforehand? Methinks he is a greedy and self-centered enough person to have done it long ago. As for gov't. cameras, only when it's absolutely necessary in a big event like the Marathon race and Super Bowl type events. Lastly, tip of the hat to Willy for the picture and post which proves my point quite rightly.

[XLFD]

The same argument is used by the government already, Lisa, and that's the point of why we shouldn't overreact in this situation by mandating security cameras in building, zoning or occupational codes through coercive legislation. 

There is good surveillance and bad in the private and public sector.  Pointing cameras at property ingress/egress points and high value holdings is generally good.   Pointing cameras in changing rooms, in people's windows, or private boat slips (like LPD does) is bad. 

A surveillance camera may have helped here, it may not have.  If a person planned this caper in advance, it is less likely it would have, and I think Exxon (and other similar businesses that operate with one person) should be gently pressured to do the right thing for employee safety, for liability's sake, and for their own security.

[Dave]

As far as how a single person can run the station in question, they seem to do a pretty good job of doing just that. As a long term customer there, there is rarely ever more then one person there.. if there is more then one person, its typically at a shift change... the employee that has been there will pull their drawer and count it out while the newer employee does their duties.

Maybe it was a crime waiting to happen but being that its about the only crime that has happened there besides the drive offs that the owner mentioned.

[Dave]

I didn't realize it til tonight but a single person running a gas station really isn't as uncommon as some might think... even in a bigger city like Muskegon and surely other cities. On my way home tonight I stopped at the Speedway gas station in N. Muskegon and it dawned on me as I was getting rung up that there was only 1 person there, a young lady. When I thought about it, this station is normally down to 1 person after midnight. I don't stop there late at night very often but when I do, there is usually only 1 person there. I have a female friend that for quite awhile worked for Wesco at one of the stations in Muskegon, was a asst manager for awhile even, she too worked at her station alone overnights on a regular basis.... one night she was robbed.

While the difference between these stations is that these stations do have cameras installed, I believe both of these to be corporate stations while I'm reasonably sure that the Exxon station is a locally owned business affiliated with Exxon. Corporate stores I'm sure have a bit more money to throw around and are will to spend money for the security systems they believe they need.

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On a side note, the family, friends and people in general are keeping the faith and continuing the search. To get to the station I usually drive through the Pointes Mall (strip mall) parking area that is just west of the station. There are several vehicles and several people keeping vigil there during the day and the media is still reporting on the story. The national networks are also reporting on the disappearance as well... seen it mentioned a few times today while watching the news channels.

[Dave]

Could be certain locations might have at least 2 at any time possibly... I could see where in a bigger city where most locations would always have at least a couple people working at any given time but in locations like New Era, Shelby & Rothbury where that might not be cost effective.

I'll check with the friend I mentioned about her experience with Wesco, I'd swear she said there were times she worked alone but maybe I confused that with a different job she did. If I'm wrong I will own up to it.

[Dave]

I messaged her and this was her reply:

"I worked alone almost every night.. a year before i quite working there i was robbed at gun point"

Maybe policy changed at some point where now the policy is that there is always 2 people working. This was probably 3 or so years ago since she quit so always a possibility that things changed.

[AQUAMAN]

Meanwhile, it's been 8 days since she disappeared, and no word yet? Is the hostile owner still mum and chasing off reporters, making lawsuit claims, and threatening to send anyone with questions home in body bags? He sure is a winner. If it was me, I'd be offering a reward for the return or information on the whereabouts of Jessica, way before now too! But, I don't expect that reaction from this cruel greedy low-life anyhow. As an American he's entitled to abstain from installing security, but he's not entitled to act like an uncaring ahole on this matter imho.

[Willy]

Dave

She wasn't to frightened by the ordeal because she kept working for a year after being robbed.

[Dave]

She was a working mom, she had to carry on or not have a job. She has since moved on, now operating a day care out of her home and is much happier now.