CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department held a briefing on Thursday to discuss crime trends in the Queen City.
According to CMPD, overall crime is up 11% compared to this time last year. That spike is being driven by a 14% property crime increase, the department said.
Despite that, recent trends have shown a decrease in violent crime.
So far this year, there has been 69 homicides, compared to 85 at this time last year. CMPD attributes the decrease to two main reasons: the department's efforts to arrest repeat violent offenders and the number of guns police have collected.
“They are seizing firearms through patrols and investigations," CMPD Deputy Chief Jacquelyn Hulsey said.
Hulsey said officers are being proactive to crime and it's making a difference. The numbers also show robberies are down 11% and aggravated assaults are down 2%.
While overall violent crime has dropped, the number of shootings are up by 2% and more kids and teens are getting involved, rising by 32%. In the past three months, 79 shootings involved a juvenile.
CMPD is calling the number of crimes committed by children "alarming."
“That tells us that our juveniles are on the wrong track," Hulsey said.
The youth are also driving crime trends in car thefts. So far in 2023, CMPD has arrested more than 600 minors for car theft.
A TikTok challenge encouraging the theft of Hyundai and Kia vehicles is partially to blame, the department said.
These vehicles are targeted at an alarming rate, up 843% from this time last year, with 70% of arrests being kids or teens.
CMPD said kids and teens are stealing guns out of vehicles, and then going on to commit more crimes.
This year there have been 1,452 guns stolen -- 903 were stolen out of a vehicle, according to the department.
"Locked, unlocked does not matter, visible, not visible, do not leave guns in your vehicle,” Hulsey said.
CMPD said they provide more than two dozen youth programs providing mentorship, but at times officials are fighting a battle they're losing. CMPD is calling on the community to help the young.
“They need life skills, and they need support and love from the community to lift them up," Hulsey said.
“It goes back to parenting; parents being involved in your child’s life making sure they’re not engaging in criminal activity," CMPD Captain Torri Tellis said. "There’s no reason for your child to be out at 4 a.m. walking around in someone’s neighborhood."
There is some good news: Overall, CMPD has seen a decrease in vehicle thefts since mid-July. They attribute it to Stolen Car and Recovery Law Enforcement Team (SCARLET) Operation, a team of officers working to combat the rise in car thefts. CMPD is also increasing patrols in problem areas like apartment complexes and handing out locks to owners of Hyundai and Kia vehicles at those residences.
CMPD urges vehicle owners to take precautions including:
- Purchase a steering wheel lock
- Lock your doors and store your valuables
- Park in well-lit areas or areas with surveillance
You can find the full 3rd Quarter Public Safety Report report here.
Contact Lexi Wilson at lwilson@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
Wake Up Charlotte To Go is a daily news and weather podcast you can listen to so you can start your day with the team at Wake Up Charlotte.
SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Pandora || TuneIn || Google Podcasts || iHeart
All of WCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.