SHERMAN OAKS : Businessman Plans Anti-Crime Mixer

Sherman Oaks businessman Jim Giorgio recently formed an anti-graffiti team and a crime prevention group among local merchants and now he is trying a new tactic to attract even more volunteers: He’s throwing a party.

Giorgio, vice president of the Sherman Oaks Chamber of Commerce, will host a business mixer tonight from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Fast Signs, which is located at 14340 Ventura Blvd. The purpose of the party, he said, is to persuade more Sherman Oaks merchants to join in a united fight against crime.

“We’re using a social event to bring people in, but what we really want to do is promote the programs,” Giorgio said.

Giorgio said he has watched crime grow over the years in Sherman Oaks, and now wants to get involved with prevention.

“The main thing that sparked it off was graffiti,” he said. “But people are coming up to me now and saying, ‘Hey, I’m glad you’re taking care of the graffiti problem, but we need to take care of some of the other problems.’ ”

He cited the recent death of Sherri Foreman, who was stabbed after she withdrew money from an automated teller machine at a Sherman Oaks bank, as an example of the violent crime that is occurring more frequently in the Valley.

As a result of the incident, he has invited an ATM security expert to speak at a business watch meeting scheduled for next week.

“We’re trying to respond to these things as they happen,” he said.