CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Police are searching for the driver of a black Mercedes who handed an officer marijuana and then sped away from a checkpoint in north Charlotte Friday morning.
It happened during the "All Hands on Deck" initiative by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department's North Division.
Patrol officers are trying to bring security back to the Poplar Springs neighborhood after it's been hit by six break-ins in recent weeks.
"As I go out to walk sometimes, I often see them coming through the neighborhood and that gives us peace of mind. At least we know we're not forgotten," said resident Larry Jones.
During the All Hands on Deck initiative, officers will saturate the neighborhood for 24 hours, talking with residents and setting up safety checkpoints.
Ethel Humphries says her door was broken during an attempted robbery, but the alarm scared off the potential robbers. Police followed up with her on Friday.
"I'm glad to see them visible in the neighborhood. It helps out a lot," Humphries said.
Part of the operation included traffic checkpoints. NewsChannel 36 was at a checkpoint when a driver pulled up, handed an officer marijuana and then took off. Police chased him but he got away.
One captain, seven sergeants and 90 officers work in CMPD's North Division. So far this year, armed robberies are up. Twelve have been reported compared to 10 this time last year. But overall, police say crime is down in the division. Click here for more crime statistics from the North Division.
