CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) released its first-quarter crime statistics for 2022, showing a slight increase in overall crime, violent crime and property crime from this time last year.
Overall, crime incidents are up 1%. Property crime has risen 1%, and violent crime incidents are up 2%. However, reports of rape are down 23%. Homicides and robberies are also down 5% each compared to the same time period in 2021.
The department continues to address a rise in gun violence. Aggravated assaults are up 5%.
Police are also urging legal gun owners to keep their firearms locked up to prevent criminals from getting their hands on them.
"The owner of that gun, if you have any, any heart in you whatsoever and you care about people, you got to understand if you don't take care of that firearm, it can kill somebody else,” said CMPD Major Brian Foley. “It can kill a child, and we've seen that multiple times this year."
Police are still searching for the person who shot a 10-year-old girl named Cherish in March near a car wash on Sunset Road, leaving Cherish with what police describe as “life-altering” injuries.
"My understanding is that she is still in critical condition,” said Foley. “That case is one that we're working very hard, and we would love the public, anybody in the public who has any information about that case to come forward."
Police don't believe Cherish and her mother were the intended targets in the shooting.
"When I go to a crime scene, and a kid's been shot, whether they were a direct target or whether they were an incidental target because someone was shooting at someone else and decided they would just indiscriminately shoot, I get ill,” Foley said. “I get sick, physically sick to my stomach. It makes me ill."
CMPD is also investigating more car thefts this year. The department reports 722 vehicles have been stolen so far in 2022, which is an 11% increase from Q1 last year.
Police said the rise in vehicle thefts is not just from people leaving their cars outside warming up in their driveways in the cold winter months.
"What we're seeing more frequently is thefts from convenience stores or people being lazy—going somewhere and leaving the car running,” Foley said. “How many of y'all have been to a dry cleaner, you've been to a convenience store, you see somebody hop out and leave the car at the pump, leave the car in front of the stores with the keys?"
Police said those quick, careless moments become prime seconds of opportunity for criminals to hop in and drive away.
Foley said drivers need to pay attention, secure their vehicles, and not leave their key fob inside the car.
"It's really simple. If you don't want to be a victim of crime, take a couple of extra steps, take your stuff indoors, secure the valuables, secure your car keys,” he said. “Don't leave the car running. Please don't do that."
Contact Kendall Morris at kmorris2@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.