CRIME NEWS: Report/Update From Nearby Neighborhood

From Chris to the neighborhood:

FYI – remember to lock doors on your cars, and report any suspicious activity to the police… And people who knock on your door asking to come in b/c the are part of "Extreme Makeover” might be fibbing!

===
From: Linda Lee Davis
Sent: Wednesday, March 17, 2010 11:25 AM

reported to me 3/15 ~ A house in the 6200 block of Sellars Court (off Thermal Road) was broken into over the weekend, sometime between Friday night and mid-afternoon Sunday. The back door was kicked in. Televisions and a computer were stolen.

Reported to me 3/17 ~ 1500 block of Redcoat

Just thought I'd let you know that early this morning (about 2AM) I woke up when I heard my husbands Jeep door being slammed. I heard two men talking then saw shadows up around my car in the driveway. Our Jeep is never locked and there is nothing in it (not even a radio anymore) and our other car was locked with the alarm on - they might have tried, but didn't get in. I could only see shadows but saw them cut across the neighbors yard headed toward Wheeler on foot. We called the police who arrived within 3 minutes and they started searching the neighborhood. Just another reminder to keep your vehicles locked or empty of all valuables.


Reported to me 3/17 ~

Two men, one in his 40/50’s and the other in his 20’s knocked on my door. They asked if I'd heard of Extreme Makeover. They were wanting to inspect my home to "preview" for the show and see if there was some work that might interest the show - remodeling work, making certain the eaves were strong, foundation, they flashed two thick notebooks. I thanked them and told them I was not interested. It is my strong belief this is a scam. I did not open the door just spoke through the door with them. My recommendation would be not to allow these people in your home.

If you do encounter these people please call 911 to have them checked out and/or you can call Brian Lutes at 980 297 8446.


Linda Lee Davis
www.stonehaveninfo.com

*** URGENT - WATER MAIN BREAK ***

Please be advised that the City of Charlotte will be shutting the water off to our neighborhood shortly to repair a water main break at the front of the subdivision.

There is no estimated time the water will be turned back on, but hopefully it won't be too long.
Please call the City of Charlotte at 311 if you have any questions.

Mindy Evans

CRIME NEWS: Update On Vehicle Break-Ins

Newsletter From The CMPD -- Providence Division:

Update on Vehicle Break-Ins

Last week, an alert was sent to subscribers stating that incidents of vehicle break-ins were on the rise in the Providence Division. The division saw a spike in activity the week of 8/17 to 8/23, with several incidents reported in the Dilworth community. In response to that activity, officer scheduled were altered and additional officers were deployed to the Providence Division, Response Area 1, with a concentration on the Dilworth neighborhood. Additional resources from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s motorcycle unit were also deployed in the Providence Division.

Warrants were obtained for two individuals suspected of breaking into cars in the area and both were subjects were arrested last week. Interviewing one of the subjects, he provided information that should lead to additional charges and cases closed by arrest in the Providence Division and other patrol divisions as well. This subject stated that he would drive through parking lots looking for items of value left in plain sight in vehicles. Without ever exiting his vehicle, he could easily spot items such as GPS units mounted on dashboards or windshields. He would enter vehicles with that item in mind, but once in the vehicle, he would also explore the interior looking for other items of value. This testimony only reinforces the importance of removing all valuables from your vehicles.

This past week larcenies from auto in the Providence Division, Response Area 1 dropped by 33% from the previous week and vehicle break-ins in the Dilworth area fell by 46%. For the Providence Division as a whole, larcenies from auto are down by 23% year to date, compared to 2008 and property crime overall is down 23% year to date.

CRIME NEWS: Vehicle Break-Ins

Newsletter from the CMPD -- Providence Division:

Recent Vehicle Break-Ins in Providence Division

Since Monday 8/17, the Providence Division has had 37 reported incidents of larceny from auto. The majority of these incidents were reported in the Dilworth area and stem from a rash of vehicles entered the night of 8/18-8/19. That night, multiple vehicles were hit on Corton Drive, Salem Drive, Lyndhurst Avenue, Dilworth Heights Lane, East Tremont Avenue, Charlotte Drive, and Euclid Avenue. The reports that night from Dilworth all involved windows being broken in order to gain entry to the targeted vehicles. The suspects targeted small items such as phones, iPods, laptops, and cash.

This amount of reported vehicle break-ins in one week significantly exceeds the Providence Division's weekly average for 2009 (26.9). Providence Division officers are investigating suspects for many of this week's incidents, but still ask that anyone who thinks they may have information about vehicle break-ins to contact Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600. Reported information to Crime Stoppers is confidential and anonymous.

Please remember:

• Secure your vehicle. Always keep it locked.
• Remove all items of value and remove items that might appear to have value. An empty backpack can entice a thief to break into your car. Remove accessories for electronics. The GPS unit mount on your dashboard may lead a thief to think that the GPS unit itself is hidden in the glovebox or console.
• Make sure to remove your vehicle's valet key and spare keys to your home or other vehicles you own.
• Try to park in a well lighted area.
• Do not hide your purse or valuables in a vehicle trunk when you arrive at a destination. If possible secure those items ahead of time. A thief may see you place the items in the trunk.
• Many vehicles have alarms. If you hear a car alarm activated in your neighborhood, do not assume that it's a false alarm.
• If your vehicle has a locking glove box, utilize the feature.
• Do not leave spare change and cash in your car.

CRIME NEWS: Burglary Arrests

From the CMPD -- South Division:

South Division Officers Make Arrests in Professional Burglary Ring

Over the last two weeks, South Division Officers have uncovered a professional burglary ring with national and international connections. The burglars targeted high-end homes in New York and South Charlotte.

The investigation started July 18th with a 911 call about a suspicious vehicle call on Colony Road. The responding officer observed a vehicle in the area that matched the description. The officer followed the car for a while but chose not to stop it after determining that the registration and insurance was valid. The officer did write down the tag of the vehicle.

Approximately 15 minutes later, officers responded to a 911 burglary in progress call at a residence on Colony Road. The owners of the residence had observed two males running from their house when they arrived home. As part of the investigation of this incident, officers began looking for the earlier suspicious vehicle through the tag information that had been recorded by the initial officer. This tag information led the officers to a rental company. The information obtained from that company lead officers to an apartment in Pineville. The Response Area Commander and several members of his Focused Mission Team went to this apartment and made contact with the occupants. Four people were encountered at this location. One of these persons matched the description of a subject seen fleeing the Colony Road burglary. A witness was brought to the apartment in Pineville. The witness positively identified Christian Aguirre as being one of the persons seen running from the burglary. The investigation continued on into Sunday July 19th.

Officers obtained and executed a search warrant for the apartment in Pineville. This resulted in the confiscation of 2 ounces of cocaine and several items of stolen property that have since been identified as being taken from 3 other burglaries that occurred in the South Division. Based on these discoveries, officers obtained warrants on Refugio Castanon, Carlos Bonetti, and Fidel Sandoval. Observation of the apartment continued following the service of the search warrant.

On Tuesday, July 21, suspicious individuals returned to the apartment in an apparent attempt to recover property still in the apartment. As a result of continued observation of the apartment, a traffic stop was conducted as the suspects attempted to leave the area. Refugio Castanon attempted to run but was quickly apprehended. The second occupant, Darwin Cruz was arrested for not having a driver’s license. A subsequent search of the car revealed a duffel bag containing $25,600. This money was confiscated.

During the arrest processing, Castanon’s fingerprints were entered into the P.I.D. (Positive Identification) system. The system alerted jail staff the Refugio Castanon was actually Pablo Castro and wanted by New York authorities. The system also listed an “America’s Most Wanted” hit which indicated that Castro had been featured on the TV show.

On Thursday July 23rd, South Division detectives received information that Carlos Bonetti was in Rock Hill. This information was passed to the Rock Hill Police who were able to quickly apprehend Bonetti.


This is a very complex investigation but based on information gained from the Search Warrant and New York authorities we believe that this group has been operating in South Charlotte since 2006. The subjects targeted specific high-end homes. Jewelry was most often the target during the burglaries. The jewelry and other items were packaged and shipped to the New York City area. From there, some of the property was shipped to Columbia South America.

The investigation is continuing. We ask that anyone with information on these subjects please contact South Division burglary detectives at (704) 544-4835.

Best regards,

Captain R. M. Golding
South Division Commander

CRIME NEWS: Residential Burglary Alert From The CMPD

Notice sent by the CMPD -- South Division:

We are asking residents who are leaving for vacation during the July 4th Holiday to follow these prevention tips:

Set your alarm
Use timers for lights inside the home.
Have neighbors collect your mail and newspapers
Leave a car in the driveway (Remove all valuables and the garage door opener)
Store your jewelry in a safe deposit box.
Have a neighbor or friend check your house everyday.

Feel free to contact one of your Community Coordinators for more tips and information. jkitchens@cmpd.org or swhitesel@cmpd.org.

The South Division will have extra police patrols in the area during the holiday weekend. The good news is that the South Division currently has a 32% reduction in residential burglary for the year. We have had 154 burglaries this year as opposed to 225 this same time last year. Hopefully, with your help, we can maintain this trend through the rest of the year.

Best wishes for a safe and enjoyable July 4th.

Captain R. M. Golding

South Division Commander

Update Regarding Swim Club

From Jill to the neighborhood:

Hello,

I received an email from Bob (Oltz) asking about using the pool at Bishops Ridge. I had been meaning to send out an email to the community. I got in contact with the former HOA president who told me that many communities have asked and they have always turned people down. I emailed the current HOA president a few times and received no response what so ever. So I am assuming that that is a no from their neighborhood. I did not get to look into using other communities pools because my life got a little too hectic with graduate school. I apologize but if anyone else would like to look into this please feel free.

Thank you.

Jill Tan

CRIME NEWS: Keller's Glen Crime Update (From Our Next Door Neighbors at Stonehaven)

Forwarded to the neighborhood by Chris:

From: Linda Lee Davis [mailto:lindalee@carolina.rr.com]
Sent: Wednesday, April 15, 2009 2:24 PM

This is a lengthy newsletter but please be sure to read all of it. The bottom portion is an update with some tips from our area Sergeant.

We have recently had “college kids” going door to door selling magazine subscriptions. The guys claimed to be selling magazines for UNC and had no information such as ID cards, shirts, etc. for UNC. Even if a person comes to your door and shows an ID card be extremely careful as they are easily made on a computer and that if someone claims to represent a particular organization, they should call that organization or tell the person to leave a card or other info. on their porch and if they were interested they would call the organization.

Another was a black female, who was pregnant, in her teens or early 20's. She was working for the outfit that recruits homeless people in a northern city, sends them south with a promise of work, puts them up in a hotel for a few days, then sends them out on the street selling magazines. At pre-determined time they send a van out to collect them all taking the money they've collected that day. Then, after a few days they send them out selling the magazines, but never show up in the van to take them back to the hotel and the people become homeless in the city to which they were taken.

This seems to occur every year so please be aware. Brian Lutes, our young neighborhood retired police officer, was called both times and went to investigate. The above information came from him. Please use him for any suspicious activity as he is nearby and can help until the police arrive. Another incident involving magazine sales is this. There are 2 young kids going around the neighborhood selling magazines...it's a scam. Would you forward to the neighborhood watch group?

This is the exact story the kids told me and I found out it's a scam on:

http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/426/RipOff0426207.htm

A 'kid' (claimed to be 23) came to the door selling magazine subscriptions. Claimed to be attending college after serving in Iraq and being discharged after being shot with multiple medical issues... 'parents live around the corner and my neighbor recommended that I was a nice person and would likely help.' Claimed he is pursuing a degree in journalism with the opportunity to study abroad in England with the BBC... Offered to donate subscriptions to soldiers in Iraq when I told him I didn't have time to read them... even had a 'list' of soldiers and their addresses. After 6 weeks and no magazine (my school age son asks me daily where his magazines are), I find this site and realize there will never be any magazines. Called customer service number multiple times... never get to a person.

Brian also said that whenever we notice a vehicle in the neighborhood that is one we don’t recognize and seems out of place or just doesn’t feel right in our gut to note the license plate number if possible and get a look at the person/people in the car. Often times they can be linked back to a crime that may occur and having that info handy can help track the criminals down. Also remember if they really give you a bad feeling call 911 about suspicious persons and they will be happy to come and investigate. Brian Lutes at 980-253-4972


The following is from Sergeant Venn:

Greetings,

Welcome to the Independence Division, Response Area 2 monthly community letter. Please check the Independence Division Response Area map at www.cmpd.org/Patrol to see which area you’re in. If you’re not in area 2, contact either Sergeant Rod Farley, RA 1 or Sergeant Rosanne DeTommaso, RA3 to sign up for that area’s letter. I’ll be sending a letter monthly – by email, to
residents and businesses in the Independence Division RA 2. Ask your neighbors to contact me – gvenn@cmpd.org, their Response Area Commander, or the Independence Division office at 704.841.1477, if they’d like to get on board.

First, I would like to introduce myself. I am Gregory Venn, Response Area Commander for Independence Division, Response Area 2. I have been with CMPD for almost 25 years. I have been a Law Enforcement Officer for 31 years (Michigan and Colorado) prior to joining the Charlotte Police Department. The Response Area Team also includes: 14 Patrol Officers, 2 Community Coordinators, 1 Detective, 1 Traffic Officer and 4 Focus Mission team members. All of these officers are part of the team that primarily work the crime trends, issues and answers 911 calls in your neighborhoods.

Burglary/Robbery Prevention Checklist

• Keep the area around your house well lit.
• Have a wide-angle door viewer (peephole) in your front door so you can see who is at the door.
• Always acknowledge a caller at your door to determine who they are and what they want.
• Some burglars ring the door bell, and if there is no answer, they break in.
• Do not open your door to anyone you do not know.
• Secure any sliding glass doors. Put a steel rod in the door channel. Install 2 or 3 screws in the overhead track to reduce the chance of the door being lifted out of the track.
• Complete a home inventory list, complete with photos or video. Store this list in a secure location, preferably away from home.
• Participate in Operation Identification - engrave your driver’s license number on your property. Burglars do not want marked merchandise.
• Keep bushes and trees well trimmed. Thick, tall shrubbery provides hiding places for burglars.
• Make sure that the locks on your doors and windows are strong and secure and use them.
• Consider into installing a burglar alarm system.
• Display “warning” signs. If you have a dog or alarm system display signs that say you do.
• Never leave a house key in an obvious place such as a mailbox or under a doormat.
• Be careful with your keys. Put your house and car keys on separate key rings.
• Have a security plan for when you are on vacation. Ask a trusted neighbor to pick up the mail, etc.
• Be wary of wrong numbers and teach children what to say to strangers on the phone.
• Know the steps to take if your home is burgled.

More information on how to secure your residence can be found at www.cmpd.org or you can
contact the community coordinator in your area and they can assist you.

Crime Trends

We continue to see in increase in Larceny From Autos and Auto Thefts. Arrests have been made in some of these cases. Larceny from Auto is one main problem we are seeing in our Response Area. You can help us reduce these numbers and keep yourself from being a victim of a Larceny From and Of Auto by following some basic rules:

Always lock your vehicle – a large number of these, the victims report leaving their vehicles unlocked. Do not leave any items in plain view. Example: Leaving your GPS suctioned to the window, your iPod sitting on the front seat, your pocket book, book bag, etc in plain view. Please take these items with you.

Crime Prevention

One of the ways for officers to positively identify stolen items is by make, model and serial number. If you purchased a new item like a computer, GPS, iPod or Flat Screen TV, write down the make, model and serial number of these items and any other item of value and keep that list in safe place. For example, I record my serial numbers in a file on my computer for convenience, but I also keep a copy in my records just in case my computer is stolen. It isn't important where or how you record your serial numbers, it is important that you do record them and have them accessible should you need to provide them to police. Also, please remember to lock all doors to your house and cars when away from such.

Lindalee
704-367-1328
www.stonehaveninfo.com

Follow-Up On High Water Bills

From Mindy:

Just as a follow up note regarding the high water bills…….the city has responded stating that there is not a leak and that someone is indeed using the water since the amount used went down after Jill unplugged/turned off the irrigation system last week.

Apparently the system was set to run all night for the past few months – I’m not sure of the frequency.

Therefore we do indeed owe the City of Charlotte $1,367.83 for the past 4 months of usage.

I think it is in our best interest to either a) keep the system unplugged indefinitely or b) have Jill be responsible for setting the timer/locking the box so that it cannot be tampered with going forward…..

NEWS: Chief Monroe's Independence Division Community Meeting

Chris forwarded the following from Captain Davis:

Subject: Chief Monroe's Independence Division Community Meeting
Importance: High

Greetings, First of all, I hope that everyone has a Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year.

For a bit of good news, Independence Division’s crime rate is down 4% overall and down 6% for property crimes. I am hopeful that we will achieve additional reductions in each category by the end of the year. Please be assured that we are working diligently to achieve those goals.

I would like to make everyone aware of Chief Monroe’s community meeting for Independence Division. The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 6, 2009, from 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., at Garr Memorial Church which is located at 7700 Wallace Rd., Charlotte, NC, 28212. Light refreshments will be served. I strongly encourage you to attend. I will be sending a reminder email several days before the meeting.

During the meeting, you will have the opportunity to interact with me, the response area commanders (RACs), community coordinators, and other division personnel. Additionally, Chief Monroe will address the audience and take questions.

If you have any questions about the meeting or Independence Division in general, please contact Sgt. Dan Merwin at 704-841-1477 or dmerwin@cmpd.org.

Best regards,

Captain Pete Davis

HOA NEWS: December Homeowner's Meeting

From Jill:

Hello! Hope everything is enjoying their preparations for all the upcoming holidays! I wanted to update you on our latest Home Owner's Meeting. It was pretty brief but we discussed the election of a new treasurer. Mindy Evans is looking to step down so if you are interested please email Mindy at mevans@gulfstreammgmt.com. I also will be looking to step down from my position sometime this winter or upcoming spring because of personal reasons. If you are interested in taking over the president position please email me at jillgtan@gmail.com.

Mindy had also provided a financial overview of where the money has gone this year. We discussed the high water bills that we have been receiving lately. We are assuming this is related to the construction that was done in early fall or that our irrigation system was set to run throughout the night. The irrigation system has been turned off and unplugged for the time being. We will be monitoring our future water bills to see if this problem continues. Mindy has already filed with the City of Charlotte a high bill claim. We will keep you informed about this topic as information arises.

A progressive cocktail/appetizer night was proposed. We discussed having a few different houses to host cocktails, appetizers, and desserts. Everyone in the neighborhood is welcome to come. We are looking to hold this in either January or February. We will need members to be on this committee to organize this event. If you are interested in planning or volunteering your house please respond to this email. After I have received responses from members of the community I will send out another email so the committee can meet and plan the event.

The last thing that was discussed was some members of the communities desire to belong to a neighborhood pool. It was proposed that we talk to communities near Keller's Glen to see if other communities would be willing to allow members of our community to use their pool (for a set fee). This will be voluntary for members of Keller's Glen. However, I would like to see if anyone is interested in this idea. We would need to have enough members of the community interested in order to propose the idea to another neighborhood.

Please feel free to email me with any other questions, comments, or concerns. Hope everyone has a great holiday and a happy new year!

Jill Tan
jillgtan@gmail.com
704-264-1237

REMINDER: Community Safety Meeting, 12/11

Chris forwarded the following to the email list:

Sent: Friday, December 05, 2008 8:38 PM
Subject: 'Community Safety' Meeting

CMPD will be holding a 'Community Safety' Meeting at the Bishops Ridge Clubhouse (6001 Chalyce Lane) on Thursday, December 11th at 6:30 pm. Officer Brent Helms, among other officers, will be attending. Helms is our 'community coordinator.'

Please try to attend and help us present a united front as we try to curb the escalation of crime in our neighborhoods!

Thank you.

Marie Wilkinson
Bishops Ridge

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.

Crime Prevention Community Meeting

Note forwarded to the email list by Chris:

From: Helms, Calvin B. [mailto:chelms@cmpd.org]
Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2008 1:05 PM
Subject: RE: Crime Prevention Community Meeting

We have a Holiday Community Safety meeting set for Thursday Dec 11 at 1830.

Mary Wilkinson will open the Bishop Ridge Clubhouse at 6:30 pm.

We will start at roughly 6:45 pm.

Be Safe!

OFFICER BRENT HELMS
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department
Independence Division Community Coordinator
9315-G Monroe Rd Charlotte, NC 28270
(o) 704-841-1477 (f) 704-841-1873
chelms@cmpd.org

UPDATE: Robbery "E-Lert"

From: Helms, Calvin B. [mailto:chelms@cmpd.org]
Sent: Monday, November 24, 2008 2:26 PM
Subject: "Robbery E-Lert"

During this time of year Armed Robberies become one of our focal points. It is our goal to strengthen the community through awareness in hopes to prevent your becoming a victim of a robbery. Please read the following safety tips and be safe!

Personal Safety Tips:


1. BE ALERT!! Know who is near you and what activities going on around you.

2. Walk with authority, look ahead and scan your surroundings.

3. Do not walk in poorly lit areas.

4. Avoid standing at a bus stop alone, especially at night.

5. If approached by someone in a car, change your direction and enter a crowded store or business.

6. Carry a cell phone and some type of safety device (i.e.: flashlight, whistle, pepper spray. etc.) when walking at night.

7. Be alert to someone who asks for directions and/or continues to engage you in conversation.

8. Obey all of the robber's orders.

9. Keep all communication with the robber short and simple. Don't argue!

1o. Be identification conscious. Observe your attacker's personal appearance, type of weapon used, and type of vehicle so you can accurately describe them to police.

Immediately report the incident to the police and do not hang up until the police arrive.

OFFICER BRENT HELMS
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department
Independence Division Community Coordinator
9315-G Monroe Rd Charlotte, NC 28270
(o) 704-841-1477 (f) 704-841-1873
chelms@cmpd.org

UPDATE: "E-Lert" Larceny from Auto

From: Helms, Calvin B. [mailto:chelms@cmpd.org]
Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2008 10:35 AM
Subject: "E-Lert" Larceny from Auto

Dear citizens,

Please review the below prevention tips regarding larceny from auto. There has been a recent increase in car break-ins which is common every year this time. Law abiding citizens are out shopping more, unfortunately, so are the criminals. Remember criminals will take the path of least resistance (easy targets). Please partnership with us to “Harden the Target”.

When you get out of your vehicle take a moment, put yourself in the mindset of the criminal and determine if there is any reason why you would break into your vehicle. If so, take an extra step to move, secure, hide items...etc. Before you place items such as a purse, computer, gifts etc. in the trunk, look around and make sure no one suspicious is watching you. Criminals will sit back away in a car and watch for there targets, or “Hunting”. If it doesn’t feel or look right, it’s probably not! We hope you have wonderful and safe Holidays!!

Larceny from Vehicles Transportation Safety Tips

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg police department would like your help! Don’t allow someone to remove your valuables from the inside of your vehicle. Please consider the following tips to prevent YOU from becoming a victim.

1. Always lock your doors and roll up your windows.

2. Never leave valuable items in your vehicle.

3. Store packages in the trunk of your vehicle while shopping.

4. Remove items such as telephones, ipods, purses, briefcase, backpack, cash and even loose change each time you leave your vehicle.

5. Park in well lit areas at night.

6. Park vehicle in the driveway rather than the street.

7. Consider a car alarm for added protection.

8. Call 911 if you see any suspicious activity.

ENCOURAGE YOUR FAMILY, FRIENDS AND CO-WORKERS TO KEEP VALUABLES OUT OF THEIR VEHICLES AT HOME, WORK OR WHILE RUNNING ERRANDS.

UPDATE: E-Lert Project / Crime Prevention / Trends

From: Helms, Calvin B. [mailto:chelms@cmpd.org]
Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2008 10:41 AM
Subject: E-Lert Project / Crime Prevention / Trends

Please notify your neighborhoods to be aware of recent increases in house break-ins around the South/East Charlotte area. It appears that burglars are striking during the day while you are at work. The targets are mostly jewelry, electronics and guns!

Below is a list of common tips regarding home security, but mostly please keep views from the outside in obscured as best as possible, like closing your curtains when you leave. A burglar likes to window shop prior to kicking in your door. Keep jewelry hidden as well as possible, maybe in a safe somewhere.

The latest trend: suspects usually steal a vehicle from across town, many have been minivans, and they will pull into the driveway of the target home or the one next to it. There is usually 2 or more suspects, one will go to the front door and ring doorbell. If no one appears to be home the rest will get out and quickly look around (window shop) then go around back to kick the door in.

If you see anything suspicious in your neighborhood, please call 911 immediately and express to the operator it may be a break-in in progress. Get a detailed description of the subjects and the vehicle including tag number if possible. You are the eyes and ears for your communities and we need your partnership!

OFFICER BRENT HELMS
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department
Independence Division Community Coordinator
9315-G Monroe Rd Charlotte, NC 28270
(o) 704-841-1477 (f) 704-841-1873
chelms@cmpd.org


Burglary Prevention Checklist

1. Keep the area around your house well lit.

2. Have a wide-angle door viewer (peephole) in your front door so you can see who is at the door.

3. Always acknowledge a caller at your door to determine who they are and what they want. Some burglars ring the door bell, and if there is no answer, they break in.

4. Secure any sliding glass doors. Put a steel rod in the door channel. Install 2 or 3 screws in the overhead track to reduce the chance of the door being lifted out of the track.

5. Complete a home inventory list, complete with photos or video. Store this list in a secure location, preferably away from home.

6. Participate in Operation Identification - engrave your driver’s license number on your property. Burglars do not want marked merchandise.

7. Keep bushes and trees well trimmed. Thick, tall shrubbery provides hiding places for burglars.

8. Make sure that the locks on your doors and windows are strong and secure and use them.

9. Consider into installing a burglar alarm system.

10. Display “warning” signs. If you have a dog or alarm system display signs that say you do.

11. Never leave a house key in an obvious place such as a mailbox or under a doormat.

12. Be careful with your keys. Put your house and car keys on separate key rings.

13. Have a security plan for when you are on vacation. Ask a trusted neighbor to pick up the mail, etc.

14. Be wary of wrong numbers and teach children what to say to strangers on the phone.

15. Know the steps to take if your home is burgled.

More information on how to secure your residence can be found a www.cmpd.org or you can contact the community coordinator in your area and they can assist you.

Warning to Those Who Park Outside: Catalytic Converter Thieves

The notes about the recent arrests pertaining to the "garage door opener burglaries" also mentioned some arrests of people charged with stealing catalytic converters off of cars and trucks.

Now, this might not be "news" to some of you (I tend not to watch the late-night local news, so maybe they covered this and I simply missed it), but it turns out that catalytic converters are a hot commodity on the black market, primarily due to the trace amounts of precious metals contained inside (gold, platinum, etc.).

SUVs and trucks tend to have larger converters so, as I understand it, those are prime targets. Catalytic converters from cars, while relatively less valuable, are also being stolen, however. I first read about the phenomenon in the New York Times, so this is not just one isolated local event.

Thus, for those of you who have the option, you might want to park in your garage. For those of you who simply can't, please keep an eye out wherever possible.

Useful Resource: Direct Updates from the CMPD & More

Just a note to everyone of a service I stumbled upon a couple weeks ago. I was originally referred there for updates on the water restrictions, but at the same time noticed you can sign up for other types of updates, ranging from street closings to crime reports from the CMPD.

It's pretty simple to sign up and, depending on how many categories you check off that you want updates on, the emails from them can be pretty sparse (not a nuisance, but rather generally important stuff sent sporadically as it comes up).

http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/Subscribe/Home.htm

They include instructions how to unsubscribe at the bottom of each note so, if you decide this isn't for you after receiving a few, it's a simple process to remove yourself from the mailing list.

For those of you who end up joining the list, I'd be curious of your thoughts. Feel free to add comments to this post to let us all know if it's valuable or not.

CRIME NEWS: Burglary Arrest In Providence Country Club

This is one of the emails sent by the CMPD. Please see the note at the bottom asking for sign-ups. It seems that you can sign up for these alerts two ways:

Go to cmpd.org, as mentioned below, and click on "notify me", or you can go directly to the site that I listed in my other post on the subject (4/11, 5:29pm).

Here's a link to an additional article about the arrests.



From: CMPD - South Division
Date: Apr 9, 2008 6:18 PM
Subject: Burglary arrest today in Providence Country Club

Burglary arrest today in Providence Country Club

At approximately 1:30 P. M. this afternoon, a burglary occurred at 6211 Providence Country Club Drive. The burglars first broke into the resident's SUV which was parked at Providence Country Club. The burglars took the garage door opener and some bills from the vehicle. The suspects were able to get the victim's address from one of the bills and went to the victim's residence. The burglars then went to the residence and used the victim's garage door opener to gain entry to his house.

The victim meanwhile had reached the first green when he noticed his dog in the yard. Since the victim had not left his dog outside, he went to check on his house and then saw the burglars’ vehicle parked in his driveway with the engine running. The resident could see the burglars in his house. The resident took the keys to the van and went back to the golf course. One of the suspects pursued the victim onto the golf course and confronted the victim while brandishing the flag / pin from the green. The victim was able to fend off the suspect by wielding a golf club.

There were two other suspects who left the residence. An off-duty officer who works for Providence Country Club happened to be passing by and was able to apprehend one suspect on the scene. A second suspect was located in the Longview Community in nearby Union County. A third suspect is still on the loose. He is described as a young black male wearing a red shirt and jeans. He was six feet tall with an athletic build and had short to medium left hair.

Based on the method of operation, we are speculating that these are the same individuals that were committing the series of “garage door opener” burglaries that have been occurring over the last two weeks.

Even though these individuals were apprehended today, we are still cautioning citizens not to leave garage door openers in their cars. Many brands of garage door openers offer smaller remotes that can be attached to a key ring. Also, don’t leave documents with your home address in your car. Of course, state law requires that you have your registration with you so consider placing the registration in a place only known to you or anyone who drives your vehicle.
As always, feel free to contact your community coordinator or myself at rgolding@cmpd.org for more information.

In closing, I would like to take this opportunity to ask you to help us expand this service. We currently have 1600 subscribers. With 137,000 residents in South Division, we need to have thousands more sign up so tell a friend or two to sign up for “notify me” at http://www.cmpd.org/.

Thank you,

Captain R. M. Golding
South Division