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Hold onto your purse at the Huntington Avenue Panera

Boston Police report several incidents over the past year of people having their purse stolen or picked at the 289 Huntington Ave. outlet.

The Boston Licensing Board on Thursday considers whether to sanction the restaurant for an incident on Oct. 14 in which a woman had her wallet taken out of her pocketbook.

Chain officials told the board they've installed 16 surveillance cameras in the restaurant, installed restroom doors that require a passcode and instructed managers to "travel paths throughout the enviroment," or, in English, take frequent walks around the establishment, looking both for items that seem ripe for taking and for people who might be the sort to do that taking.

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Comments

That location stinks. The management allows homeless people to loiter at the outside tables and harass customers. For an upscale sandwich place it is just as sketchy as the Burger King it replaced.

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Panera is not really upscale even though they want you to feel that way. It's still fast food. For the same price (actually cheaper in a lot of cases), you can get a fresher and better meal at Pavement across the street.

Is Target really that much better than Walmart?

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> Is Target really that much better than Walmart?

... until it let hackers steal all its customer's data.

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The restaurant has no control over what is going on in that neighborhood. They would be sued by the state if they "discriminated" against their right to hang out and harass people.

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The enclosed patio is their private lease property. Management shouldn't allow non customers to loiter all day and has the legal standing to give people the boot.

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they should sanction the thief.

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I will never again be able to walk anywhere, anytime, without the thought that I am "traveling a path throughout the environment"

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I'd like to travel a path through the environment for a cinnamon sugar bagel... yum yum.
Back to the point of the original post: I got hit up for money at a Panera by a woman with a sob story. She sat right down next to me and was pretty much in my face for a good 10 minutes so I I gave her $3. She then loudly went off on me for not giving her a $20! Not sure what she was on, but that was enough sitting at Panera for me -- took my bagel and coffee and got out of there. Now I only get a bagel to go.

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By giving her $3, you rewarded her behavior. It's why she thought it would work in the first place...and it did.

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So, someone has a wallet stolen in a restaurant, and it's the restaurant's fault? I don't understand that.

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Isn't the purpose of establishments having those "PLEASE WATCH YOUR PERSONAL BELONGINGS. WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR LOST OR STOLEN ITEMS." signs to absolve them of such
liability?

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I'm curious how this even ended up in front of the Licensing Board, since this would seem to be clearly someone else's turf.

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"Vultures everyvere!!"

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I don't see how it's Panera's "fault."

Other than putting signs on every table (as is done in the Prudential Food Court) warning patrons to keep an eye on their bags, I'm not sure what else they are responsible for.

I've worked in this neighborhood for years. It's a very popular stretch for thieves, owing largely to the student population. They case nearly every business from Symphony Hall to the MFA, and if there's any place with slipshod security, they communicate that to one another. I've had my wallet swiped, as have several of my coworkers, both from our own office, and from several establishments on the block. Long story short - keep your bag zipped and within sight, no matter where you are.

And that Panera sucks, anyway. Worst customer service ever.

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don't leave your bags and wallets out, ding dongs. you're in public.

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It was IN her purse!

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i included bags in there. she clearly put it on a chair or table and was ignoring it like an idiot. or it was was swinging behind her and unzipped. either way i blame her.

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You blame the woman who had her wallet stolen. I blame the thief.

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oh wait, unless she was clinging to her bag for dear life screaming for help in the middle of panera while everybody watched in silence and then the thief somehow reached in, grabbed her wallet, and ran away. then i apologize, i was wrong. otherwise i stick to my statement.

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Really?

Are you the spokesperson for the thugs and robbers union or something?

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The victims are mostly and probably young college students from abroad. They don't know that area is filled drug addicts from the nearby shelters and meth clinic.

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I am not surprised. I sent two complaint e-mails about that place and never received a response. I think they serve students and they don't care about them.

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or your wallet?

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