Matthews Police Dept: 'Citizen Alert'

Matthews Police Department ALERT

Citizen Alert:
During the past few weeks, there have been several reports of neighborhood crimes to include;  vehicle break-ins, vehicle arson and stolen vehicles.   Although these type of crimes tend to increase during warmer weather.  The Matthews Police Department is encouraging residents to better protect themselves by:

• Report any suspicious person(s) or activity immediately to the police department. 
• Always keep your vehicle locked. 
• Do not leave items of value in your vehicle; automobiles that are not secured or in secure places are easy targets for criminals. 

Anyone with information about the individual(s) responsible for these crimes can report it by clicking "submit a tip" on the Matthews PD Citizen Observer website or by calling 704-847-4069.

Man Convicted for Stealing over $318,000 from Matthews Children's Theatre

John Hurst

John Willis Hurst, 51, plead guilty to eight felony counts of Embezzlement before Judge Hugh B. Lewis.  Hurst embezzled over $318,000 from the Matthews Playhouse between 2002 and 2009 while volunteering as Treasurer. The Matthews Playhouse is a non-profit children’s theatre.  Hurst admitted that he forged signatures on Matthews Playhouse checks in order to pay his credit card bills, insurance bills and other personal expenses.

John Hurst will be imprisoned for an initial period of 12-16 months. Upon release, Hurst will be placed on 5 years of supervised probation. During the term of probation, Hurst will be required to make minimum monthly payments of $1,500 in an effort to make restitution to the victim in the total amount of $232,486.  To date, Hurst has paid $86,000 in restitution. If Hurst violates the terms of his probation, a judge may revoke it and order Hurst serve an additional 36-48 months in prison.

Matthews PD Captures Residential Burglary Suspect

On March 1, 2010, Matthews Police received a call from a resident off of Four Lakes Drive reporting a suspect apparently attempting to break into a neighbor's home, officers located and subsequently arrested a local subject who has now been charged in multiple offenses.

The 22-year old suspect, Wynton Lewis Coleman, was arrested for Attempted Breaking and Entering and Possession of Stolen Property. As a result of our investigators' interviews, and a search of the suspect’s home, we are now preparing to charge Coleman with five recent residential burglaries, including three in Pine Forest, as well as the thefts of the laptop computers from offices in the downtown area. Some of the stolen property was recovered at his residence.

This arrest resulted from the call from an observant citizen. We urge all citizens to remain observant, get to know your neighbors, and to call the police anytime you observe something suspicious!

Wachovia Bank in Matthews Robbed

On January 12, 2010, the Wachovia Bank located at 1401 Matthews-Mint Hill Road in Matthews was robbed by a black man, about 5'9" tall- last seen wearing a black or navy hoodie.

Contact Info: Matthews Police Department - (704)847-7755 or North Carolina FBI - (704) 377-9200

Matthews Police Dept: Recent Trend in Robberies

The following information was sent via 'Citizen Alert' from the Matthews Police Department:

Recently there has been a growing trend in robberies that is causing concern. On January 12, 2009 a man was robbed at gunpoint in his driveway while unloading packages from his vehicle. This was the incident that the Matthews Police Department reported through Citizen Observer yesterday, January 13, 2009.

Although there have only been a couple other cases similar to this one in Matthews, there have been more in the surrounding Charlotte-Mecklenburg area. A citizen being targeted in their driveway or home has not been a typical form of robbery in the past. We want to stress to the community not to be fearful about dangerous crimes, but aware that they do exist so precautions can be taken.

The recent trend is that criminals drive through residential neighborhoods in the evening hours after sunset when there are not many people outdoors. When they locate a person just arriving at home, they use the element of surprise to take advantage of their victims. Most people feel more secure when they are home and their attention is diverted when getting in or out of their vehicle.

The best means of preventing this type of crime is a keen alertness to your surroundings and recognizing suspicious activity. To assist in these efforts we suggest having sufficient lighting around your home and driveway. Consider using motion detector devices on outdoor lighting, which can also alert you to recent movement in the area. Watch for vehicles following you, or in the area as you approach your home. Consider driving past your home toward a populated area until you determine that the vehicle or person in the area is not suspicious.

In the event you are confronted by an assailant comply with their demands and try to deescalate the situation to reduce violence.

There are different individuals committing these crimes and often use different vehicles. The location and times in which the incidents happen are random in nature. For that reason, it is important to be aware that although not frequent, robberies can occur in any neighborhood. Please look out for yourself and your neighbors, and report any suspicious activity to the police department immediately. To contact the Matthews Police Department directly, call 704-847-5555.

Matthews Police Dept --> Citizen Observer

The Matthews Police Department, through its continuing effort to have open communication with the community, is proud to announce the implementation of a new program that will greatly enhance that initiative.

The program is called Citizen Observer, an e-mail and text messaging alert notification system that allows anyone who subscribes to receive detailed information from the police department.

The alert categories that the Matthews Police Department will be using are:

• Citizen Alerts – These alerts are used to notify the community of issues that may affect public safety throughout the Town of Matthews.·
• Watch Group Alerts – Targeted towards specific geographic areas of town, they allow residents to be better informed about what is happening in, and around, their neighborhood. ·
• Traffic Alerts – This notifies motorists that travel through Matthews about unusual traffic delays, road or lane closures and construction projects.
• Business Alerts – Information that is geared toward specific types of businesses so that the users only receive what is pertinent to them.·
• Case Alerts – Used to send out and gather information about open case investigations, this has proven to be an invaluable tool in solving crimes.

The police department strongly encourages it's citizens to sign up for this valuable service. There is no cost to register, and individuals can sign up for as many different alert categories as they wish. Recognizing that a better informed public creates a safer community, this tool can be used to accomplish many goals.

Each alert sent has a “submit a tip” function that allows the receiver to respond to the police if they have information that can be of assistance. All correspondences are confidential and the tip sender is kept anonymous. By participating in this program, citizens and businesses can play a vital role in crime prevention and utilize a system that has proven to be very useful in maintaining a safe community.