Conway police call out ‘disturbing’ social media reports, offer safety tips

CONWAY, SC (WMBF) - Conway Police Chief Dale Long is offering tips on staying safe in a parking lot amid a rise of posts on social media that police believe aren’t substantial.

The police department said in a Facebook post on Friday that several “disturbing” posts recently made the rounds on social media.

The department said these personal accounts of near-tragic crime “do not match evidence collected from the place where the stories were supposed to have occurred.”

According to the agency, these posts also said police were called to the scene, but Conway PD claims they don’t have any records of 911 calls.

“...We have nothing to show that the activities described on social media actually occurred as described,” the department stated in a Facebook post. “Spreading fear on social media with unsubstantiated or false statements is not acceptable behavior or conduct.”

Police looked into the claims as if they reported “correctly” but the investigation wasted time and resources, according to the agency.

They asked the public to report a crime by calling 911 instead of reporting it on Facebook.

However, Police Chief Dale Long said that suspicious or dangerous scenarios do pop up.

He said to stay safe in a parking lot, it’s important to know your surroundings and not be looking at your phone.

“Pay attention to who you see,” Long said in a video also posted to Facebook. “If you see people standing around that look [like] they’re there for no real apparent reason, stop. If you can’t figure out what’s going on, then retreat back to where you came from. And see what we can do to help you.”

The chief also suggested remembering where you park to avoid wondering, having your keys in your hand to get in and out quickly and parking in a well-lit area at night.

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