Theft Prevention Suggestions & Other News From The CMPD

I forwarded the following message to the email list:

from CMPD - Providence Division <govdelivery@cmpd.org>
date Fri, Dec 5, 2008 at 2:37 PM
subject Car thefts and Recent e-mails

Recent Car Thefts and Circulating E-Mails

Recent Auto Thefts

Did you know a vehicle is stolen every 20 seconds in the United States? Did you know 12 vehicles are stolen every day in Mecklenburg County? (Per cmp.org)

As the weather starts getting cooler and the mornings even colder, we would like to remind everyone about Car Thefts. Please do not start your car in the mornings and leave it to warm while you return inside to your residence or leave your vehicle running while inside of a business.

The Providence Division has had three vehicles stolen within the past week that were left running outside of a private residence. Due to the recent unusually cold weather more people may be tempted to try and warm their car while they remain indoors. This is a note of prevention for all of our residents, reminding you that leaving your vehicle running and unattended is a risky practice.

There is a city ordinance that prohibits a vehicle being left with the keys in the ignition in a public area. We also must remind you that if you do leave your vehicle running and unattended in a public vehicular area, such as a parking lot, you can receive a citation for violating that criminal offense. Please help us all to be safe and do your part by NOT leaving your vehicle unattended while running or with the keys in them at all.

Circulating E-mails

There has been an email circulating about an “attempted robbery at Eddie’s (restaurant) Cotswold”. This email contains inaccurate information. We wanted to send out the facts of the case and some helpful tips for everyone to learn from.

The incident referred to in the email did not happen in the Cotswold area and actually occurred at Ed’s Tavern in Dilworth- 2200 Park Rd. It occurred at few weeks ago - Thursday 11/20/2008. We do not know how the location and date changed.

Below is a brief synopsis of the actual incident from Park Road:

“On November 20, 2008 at 9:59 PM, Officers responded to the victim’s home in reference to an attempted armed robbery that had occurred earlier at Ed's Tavern (2200 Park Rd). The victim stated a black male attempted to rob her in the parking lot at that location.

The victim fled the scene and called 911 on the way to her home.

The victim stated she left Ed's Tavern around 9:45 PM and got into her vehicle and locked her doors. As the victim was starting her car, she heard a sound like someone trying to open the driver’s side door. The victim looked over and saw a black male pointing a gun at her while attempting to open her door. The victim advised she quickly ducked down and put the car in reverse and then put it in drive and sped away from the location. The suspect ran from the scene in an unknown direction.

The victim could only describe the suspect as a black male, about 25 years old wearing a green jacket that looked like an army jacket and a hood that had fur on the inside and not around the outside. She could not see his hair but stated he was clean shaven and did not have any outstanding physical features or marks that she could remember.”

The Providence Division has not had any further incidents like the one described above, since November 22nd. Park Road and the Dilworth neighborhood have received additional patrols from line officers as well as members of our Division’s Focused Mission Team.

Another email is circulating describing an incident that happened in the parking lot of the Harris-Teeter in the 1000 block of Providence Road. That email contained the information below:

Last night around 7:00pm, I entered Harris Teeter Express in Myers Park (corner of Providence and Providence) and a man sitting in the waiting area said "Happy Holidays!" and I said "Thank you." I walked out with my groceries and was parked far down the strip mall (in front of Wolfman Pizza). I put my groceries in the passenger side and got in my car. The man (unbeknownst to me) followed me to my car, opened the passenger's door and quickly attempted to get in and sit down. He realized the groceries were there, looked around the parking lot (while I was yelling for him to GET OUT!), and sat down again on top of the groceries and started closing the door. I honked my horn and made a scene and he fled through the parking lot and behind the bank before disappearing. I filed a police report.

Officer Rob Sprague was able to locate and speak with the woman involved in this incident. After speaking with her, he established that the subject did not make any threats toward her or any demands. He did not attempt to touch her or remove any of her property. The police were never contacted that evening. Although the man’s actions were understandably upsetting to this woman and alarming, nothing he did constitutes a criminal violation. No crime was committed.

Shortly after the incident, the man returned to the Harris-Teeter and sat back down. We have been in contact with the management of that store and Harris-Teeter’s corporate asset protection unit as well. We’ve been told that this man frequents the store and has never been any type of problem in the past. The staff of the store has been very cooperative and is planning to contact us whenever he next returns so he can be identified.

In both of these instances, the women did a few things that protected them and may have prevented the situations from potentially becoming worse.

The first woman IMMEDIATELY locked her car doors once she was seated inside her vehicle. This prevented the suspect from easily jumping in the car and robbing the victim. You should always do this no matter where you are. Criminals have attempted this act at red lights and stop signs as well. ALWAYS lock your car doors and leave your windows rolled up while operating your vehicles. Neither of these women was distracted by talking on a cell phone or looking at messages on their phones. They were aware of their surroundings and immediately saw the men close to them, which allowed them to react quickly to the situation. Try to avoid using your cell phone so that you can watch where you are walking and be aware of your surroundings when going to and from your vehicles.

The use of email to provide information to a large number of people in a short amount of time is a very useful tactic. However, it can also allow inaccurate information and rumor to spread like wildfire. Our office or your community officers can always be contacted in order to confirm or dispel information circulating by email.

Your respective community officers and their contact information can be located at http://www.cmpd.org/. Anyone with information about the crimes mentioned in the email, please call Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600. Information can be left confidentially and anonymously.