WASHINGTON - A new city-wide text alert system designed to give D.C. business owners and residents information about violent crimes within minutes of them being committed was unveiled Wednesday in Georgetown.

ABC 7/NewsChannel 8 reporter Andrea McCarren was able to find out first hand how the new system works. In the event of an armed robbery, for example, a business owner will call 911 to alert authorities, and within minutes of that call, information on the crime and the suspect(s) will be sent to a registered cell phone user.

The current economic crisis has made for a disconcerting time for business owners. Georgetown business owner, Anna Fuhrman has been a victim of crime, not only once but six times. "We've had robberies during the day; we've had many break-ins; we've had shoplifting on an almost daily basis," Fuhrman said.

Another business owner, Ed Solomon says he too has been targeted, as well as other neighborhood businesses.

"There was a store that was robbed near my store two years ago," Solomon said. "Three days later we received wanted posters with a description. I said, My God, three days later, this isn't right. We can do better than that."

As a result, Solomon and others have pushed hard to get a text alert system put into place; one that will deliver information about violent crimes minutes after they occur.

There is no charge to sign up for the alerts. In addition, one does not have to be a resident of D.C. to sign up. In fact, a non-D.C. resident signed up because he wanted to know what was going on in the D.C. neighborhood where his daughter works.

[Original Story]