Infamous Nashville Gas Station Padlocked, Owner Arrested

NASHVILLE, TN -- Metro Police raided and padlocked two Lafayette Street businesses Wednesday, including a gas station that's one of the most frequent destinations for officers, and arrested their owner for allegedly selling stolen goods.

The Z Mart at 24 Lafayette Street and the neighboring Staff Zone, a temporary staffing business, were declared public nuisances by a criminal court judge and subsequently shut down by police.

According to police data, officers respond to incidents at the Z Mart more than almost anywhere else in the city, with 95 calls for service over just 12 weeks in 2017 - more than one per day - mostly for disorderly conduct, though violent crime is also a common occurrence. In the last seven years, police have responded to more than 3,000 calls at the Z Mart, twice as many as the next busiest market within a mile radius.

"The activities that are being allowed to take place at these two businesses, which are very close to Napier/Sudekum public housing, pose real safety concerns for young and old alike, and are holding this community back," said Metro Police Chief Steve Anderson. "It is clear that despite the disproportionate police responses to 24 and 20 Lafayette Street in recent years, the persons responsible for these properties have not taken steps to turn things around."

In addition, during their investigation, police say they learned the Z Mart was in the business of selling stolen goods.

Detectives say that on six occasions between November 2017 and January, an informant sold various stolen items to Z Mart's owner - Fahir Mohammed - and employees, including a Dyson vaccum cleaner, cartons of cigarettes and cases of energy drinks. Police arrested Mohammed during Wednesday's padlocking and charged him on three theft warrants.

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Photo via MNPD