CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Charlotte Mecklenburg Police are warning people in southeast Charlotte to lock their cars and secure their valuables after a rash of car break-ins targeting the McKee Road area.
The South Division collected reports of 11 break-ins on January 29 and 30. NewsChannel 36’s interviews with neighbors suggest there are many more that weren’t reported. The neighborhoods hit include Willowmere, Providence Plantation, Providence Glen, Providence Arbours, and South Hall.
“My next-door neighbor had his GPS stolen. We know someone who had their wallet stolen,” Brian Gomsak said. His wife’s car was rummaged through, but the thieves didn’t find anything of value. In his case, and in all of the cases reported to police, car doors were left unlocked.
“It’s easy to get comfortable in a neighborhood like this,” he said. “For all of us, it’s a lesson.”
This category of crime is a constant challenge for police in all parts of the city. The area near McKee Road had 26 incidents in January 2010. That was a 30 percent increase over January 2009.
In an e-mail alert to people who live in the area, South Division Captain Rod Golding reminded residents to remove valuables from vehicles before locking them. He also asked people to report suspicious vehicles or people, especially between 12 a.m. and 7 a.m. He said the suspects are most likely teenagers, and offered a warning to parents.
“…Be on the lookout for personal electronic items that were recently acquired secondhand by your children from acquaintances or unknown sources,” he wrote. “Your son or daughter’s used iPod could very well be from a burglarized car. If you suspect this, call the South Division office and we will be glad to check the item against our list of recently stolen items.”
Police will be stepping up patrols in the area until the burglars are caught, or police are confidant they’ve moved on.
