Update: July 24, Incident at 415 N. Church Street

The suspect attempted a forced entry into the 415 building around 2:00 AM on July 24th by breaking the glass on the courtyard door with a brick. Thanks to the quick actions of a resident and the police, the perpetrator was apprehended in the upper level garage with no apparent damage to any vehicles.

Temporary repairs have been completed to the door with permanent repairs to follow by the end of the week. Security footage of the incident is available and will be provided to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department for use in the case.

In light of this event, all residents are reminded to be mindful of their surroundings and ensure the security of all gates and doors after each use. If you notice any suspicious individuals around the property, please contact 911 immediately.

Arrest in Break-in at Jefferson Square

Early this morning, Daniel J. Baker was arrested immediately after a break-in incident into the building of 415 N. Church Street (20070724-014800). He remains in jail charged with one count of Felony Commercial B&E and 1st Degree Trespassing. Special thanks to several Central Division Officers who were able to locate and detain him before he was able to commit additional crimes.

Detective Wes Caldwell

Criminal Justice System

Several weeks ago Rob Cummings, the president of Friends of Fourth Ward, posted a letter from Mayor McCrory asking us to contact the state legislature about funding for the criminal justice system. I found this editorial in the Charlotte Observer and it makes me think we still have work to do on this issue. Click here to see the entire article in which Mr. Koconis brings up some good points. I encourage each of us to contact both State and County elected officials to let them know "how we feel" about this topic.

FRANK A. KOCONIS
Special to the Observer

Every society has to have some effective way to deal with violent crime. Citizens need a reasonable expectation that they will be safe in their homes, on the streets and in their workplaces. For this reason, every society must have some government-provided system for catching and punishing criminals.

For us, that system is the police and the courts. The problem is that part of this system, our courts, is in dire trouble. All over North Carolina, our court system is foundering under crushing case loads, with scandalously inadequate staffing and funding. The situation here in Mecklenburg County is especially bad...

Robbery and Attempted Home Invasion at Settlers Lane

The following incident occurred on Settlers Lane on July, 17, 2007 at 1:50am. The victim was unloading his car when approached by black male 6’2” 240lbs with a gray beard armed with a gun. The assailant has not yet been caught but there is a suspect who is known in the neighborhood as a problem (sometimes seen wearing a camouflage jacket).

It appears as if the suspect saw the victims unloading a car and walked up and told them he had a gun (none shown or indicated), at which time one of the victims picked up a stick and told him to “get out of here”, which he apparently did. They think that he may have pushed on their doors at some later time, (which is where the burglary part came in), but there was no further contact with the victims, and no attempt to force the victim into his home. They also reported that a purse was stolen out of the car they were unloading.

We believe that due to the description that he is a vagrant and also that we will be able to find him. In addition to the info below, he was described as having messy gray hair and messy gray beard, and as you can see is large.

Please tell the residents to keep a sharp lookout, and report anyone matching that description to us via 911.

CMPD

Larceny From Auto and Vandalism

There has been a spike in Larceny from auto and Vandalism calls throughout the entire center city. Please safeguard your valuables and be vigilant for your safety and the safety of your neighbors. Report all suspicious activity by calling 911. Report all street light outages to Duke Energy.

Click here for some helpful safety tips.

CMPD

Neighborhood Crime Stats - June 2007

First Ward

15 Larceny from auto
11 Vandalism
9 Other larcenies
3 Auto Thefts 600 E. 7th St, 200 N. Myers St and 700 E. 9th St
1 Armed Robbery 600 Garden district Dr

The victim was unloading groceries when he was approached from behind by the suspect, a young black male. The suspect pointed a small handgun at the victim and demanded money. When the victim stated that he didn’t have any and then showed the suspect his empty wallet, the suspect ran away saying “I’m sorry, I’m sorry”.

Fourth Ward

22 Larceny from auto
13 Auto theft (1) cleared by arrest.
7 Other larceny
6 Shoplifting (2) cleared by arrest.
4 Vandalism
1 Commercial Burglary
1 Residential Burglary

Third ward

27 Larceny from auto
8 Other larceny
5 Auto theft
4 Vandalism
2 Non aggravated assault
2 Commercial Burglary
2 Residential Burglary
1 Armed robbery

A young black male suspect approached the female victim after she exited her vehicle. He pointed a small handgun and requested her money. The suspect left the scene on a BMX bicycle.

Two days later another robbery occurred and the suspects were riding BMX bicycle. Both suspects were apprehended and charged with Strong Armed robbery.

July Fourth News

I found these stories concerning the festivities in Center City. Click on the links for the full article. From my perspective the evening went well. It was fun and safe and I saw well behaved crowds. I saw an extremely professional police force doing a great job on a night when most them should have been home with their families. They deserve our thanks and praise.

WSOC : More Than 100 Arrests Made In Uptown...

WBTV: Uptown Arrests on July 4th

WCNC: Fun for some, handcuffs for others

Charlotte Observer: July 4: Quieter, but 100 arrests

RED, WHITE AND... FOOD!

Help celebrate one of our neighborhood's biggest assets: Charlotte Fire Department's Station 4, who last year alone ran over 5,000 calls for fires, medical crises and a host of other emergencies. On July 4th, from about 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., a bunch of Fourth Ward residents are planning to set up a feast at the station (525 N. Church Street). Show how much you appreciate these heroes by bringing a ready-to-eat dish to supplement Mike Adams' bountiful BBQ pork. Last year folks brought fried chicken, ribs, beans, corn, fruit, and - of course - DESSERT! This year we need more of the same and (if you're not the cooking type) paper plates, cups, plastic utensils, napkins, and soft drinks. Everyone needs to lend a hand in setting up, serving and breaking down. If you want to participate, please tell Bev Nagy what you plan to bring.