Police say about 20 homes in three inside-the-Beltline Raleigh neighborhoods have been burglarized during the past 90 days, with at least $350,000 worth of property reported stolen. Investigators say 10 of the cases appear to be connected, while the scope of any broader pattern remains unclear.
The reported burglaries are in Coley Forest, Sunset Hills and Budleigh, according to WRAL. The Raleigh Police Department is investigating. Police have not publicly described the links among the 10 connected cases or said whether the other reported burglaries are related.
Police Say Staffing Isn't Slowing the Investigation
The investigation has also prompted questions about department staffing. Raleigh has roughly 800 officer positions, some of which are vacant, WRAL reported. A department spokesperson said staffing shortages are not limiting patrols or investigations.
Raleigh police spokesperson LaToya Hughes said the pace of the investigation reflects the work required to gather and verify information and obtain records from outside entities. She said those steps do not follow a predictable timeline, even when a case is a priority.
A Growing City, a Slower-Growing Force
The staffing debate comes as Raleigh's population grew about 12% from 2015 to 2025, while the police force grew less than half as quickly, according to the WRAL report. That comparison provides citywide context, but police have said it is not slowing the investigation into these burglaries.
How the broader trend compares
Statewide data point to declines in burglary over the longer comparison periods available here. The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation reported that the burglary rate fell 7.2% in 2024 from 2023, while the North Carolina Department of Public Safety's Criminal Justice Analysis Center reported that residential burglaries fell 35% in the first half of 2025 compared with the first half of 2020, based on data from 259 agencies. Those statewide figures use different periods and do not establish whether Raleigh's current reports are part of a broader local or national trend, nor are they a direct measure of the cases described here.
The cases remain active, and police have not publicly explained how the connected burglaries are linked or identified the leads detectives are pursuing. Residents in Coley Forest, Sunset Hills and Budleigh are awaiting further details.
