Charlotte/ Crime & Emergencies
Published on June 05, 2019
Charlotte crime reports drop in May; theft drops, assault risesPhoto: iStock

The number of crime reports in Charlotte saw an overall decrease last month, for the second month in a row, according to data from SpotCrime, which collects data from police agencies and validated sources.

Incidents fell by 7.2%, from 6,356 in April to 5,896 in May.

The month-to-month decrease in incidents was led by theft and burglary. Theft fell from 2,723 reported incidents in April to 2,462 in May. Burglary incidents went from 403 to 316 for the month, or about a 21% decrease.

While somewhat smaller categories, there was also a sizable percentage decrease last month in vandalism, from 418 incidents per month to 384, and in shootings, from 10 to five. Vandalism reports have decreased since the same month last year, while shooting incidents have declined.

There were 12 arson reports last month. Arson incidents dropped from 18 offenses the previous month.

Among the few types of offenses that saw an uptick last month, assault reports went from 1,169 to 1,218. Robbery incidents rose from 128 to 153.

When it comes to crime patterns in different areas of the city, Hidden Valley, Nevin Community and Charlotte Douglas International Airport saw the largest decline from April to May. Beverly Woods, Ballantyne West and Quail Hollow also saw considerable percentage decreases in crime offenses for the month, although they continue to have lower overall crime levels.

Fridays, Wednesdays and Thursdays saw the most reported crimes last month. The largest decrease from the previous month occurred on Tuesdays, Mondays and Thursdays, while incidents on Fridays, Wednesdays and Saturdays went up. Comparing times of day, late afternoon, late morning and early afternoon saw the most crime last month on average each day.

To report a crime in progress or life-threatening emergency, call 911. To report a non-urgent crime or complaint, contact your local police department.

Head to SpotCrime to get free local crime alerts in your area.


This story was created automatically using local crime data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about our data sources and local crime methodology. Got thoughts about what we're doing? Go here to share your feedback.