CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department is alerting residents in south Charlotte about a series of armed robberies targeting areas of the cities typically inhabited by Latinos.
Officer Claudio Jimenez spoke in a video on CMPD's Spanish Facebook page about the incidents. Jimenez is a Latino outreach specialist with the department. His Spanish-language video was translated by WCNC Charlotte.
He said armed juvenile suspects have robbed multiple people in Hispanic neighborhoods in south Charlotte, particularly around liquor stores. The robberies have happened near the intersection of Old Pineville Road and Archdale Drive and on Nations Ford Road.
“As one who has a Hispanic family and is Hispanic herself, it’s scary,” said one woman who lives in the area.
One man said, in Spanish, he has seen a rise in crimes and would like to see more patrols in the area.
The suspects reportedly approach the victims in their car and ask them to buy alcohol for them because they are underage. Once they start speaking with the victims, the suspects attack them and steal from them, Jimenez said in the video.
Jimenez did not say if anyone had been arrested for these incidents. CMPD has not released any further information on this, including if anyone has been injured.
Police advise people in these areas to not go out at night alone and not to stay parked anywhere for too long. Many of the victims had cash stolen from them, so Jimenez encouraged people to travel with little cash and use credit cards.
He advised anyone with information about these incidents should call CMPD. Spanish-speaking dispatchers can help bridge any language barrier.