The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department released the following information today regarding a recent increase in home break-ins: (Read full statement on CMPD site)CMPD Burglary detectives are actively investigating a recent rash of residential burglaries that have similar suspect descriptions and use similar methods.
"While citywide, burglaries were down nearly 5% last year compared to 2006, we have seen an increase in the past couple of weeks," says Captain David Poston, who leads CMPD's Property Crimes Unit. "People feel especially violated when someone has broken in to their home and stolen their personal belongings. It is a major priority for us to catch the people who are responsible."
Over the past month, detectives have seen a pattern to some reports of burglaries and are pursuing leads to identify and arrest the thieves. In fact, officers made an arrest in a case today that fit the pattern of some other recent burglaries. They are interviewing that suspect and investigating to determine whether the crimes are related. The suspects name will be released once he has been processed.
Yesterday, four homes were broken into in the North part of Mecklenburg County. All had suspect descriptions and methodology similar to some burglaries that occurred earlier in the month in the South Division. Similar break-in's have also been reported in other parts of the city.
Patterns of Recent Burglaries:
● Suspect Descriptions: When suspect descriptions are available, witnesses report seeing 3-4 black males, ages 18-25, most with dreadlocks.
● Suspect vehicles: the thieves are driving late-model sedans or SUVs that are stolen or rented.
Anatomy of the Break-Ins:
● Most are occurring during the day, although there is no apparent pattern to the time or day of the week.
● The suspects are knocking on doors to make sure no one is at home before entering the home, usually by going around to the back door and kicking it in.
● There have been some reports of the suspects entering through front doors when the house design makes that entrance less visible from the street.
● In some cases, when residents did not respond to the knock on the door, the suspects broke in, apparently thinking no one was home. When the suspects saw someone was home, they fled, often without taking anything from the residence.
What's Stolen: The thieves are targeting homes with plasma televisions and/or other high-end electronics or computers easily visible through a downstairs window.
CMPD detectives are following up on a number of leads and officers throughout the patrol divisions are working with neighborhoods residents. In addition to providing information about cases and safety information, they are teaching prevention initiatives and encouraging residents to actively participate in—or start—a community crime watch program.
Take Steps to Reduce Risks:
There are a number of actions citizens can take to reduce risks of being a victim of these burglars:
● Be on the lookout for and call 911 to report suspicious persons in your area. Be especially sensitive to those who fit the descriptions in these similar cases.
● When you are home and someone knocks on your door, let them know you are home. If a visitor is unexpected, say, "Please leave. I am calling the police." If their visit to you is legitimate, they will provide more explanation. If they were checking to make sure the house is empty, they will leave.
● Activate your home alarm system, especially when you are not home, but even when you are.
● Close blinds or curtains so valuables are not readily visible from outside your home.