(a) No person, being in charge of any store, shop, office or other business or professional establishment, shall leave the same unattended without having locked or otherwise secured all doors, windows and other means of entrance to such establishment to prevent the entrance of unauthorized persons.
(b) At night, after normal business hours, the person in charge of such establishment shall cause all entrances to be so locked or secured, even though he, she or another person or persons may be in such establishment; except that, if legitimate business activities are then being conducted therein requiring one or more entrances to be unlocked, this may be done provided that proper precautions are taken to prevent the entrance of unauthorized persons.
(c) In the case of a business establishment to which access is had through a hallway or other area used in common with other occupants of the building, the obligation of the person in charge of such establishment shall be limited to securing the doors, windows and other means of entrance to the portion of the building occupied by such establishment.
(d) If, in case of a violation of this section, identity of the person in charge of such establishment at the time of the violation cannot be readily ascertained, the owner of the establishment and his or her customary managing agent shall be held prima-facie responsible for such violation.
(e) This section of the Codified Ordinances shall not be applicable to a business establishment, or portion thereof, which is designed to be open for business 24 hours a day on a self-service basis, if the owner has first entered into an agreement satisfactory in form to the Director of Law, indemnifying and agreeing to hold harmless the City and its officers, employees and agents from all liability whatsoever in connection with such business establishment, except their willful or criminal misconduct.
(f) Whoever violates any provision of this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.
(Ord. C42-74. Passed 7-1-74.)