Homeowners on Laurel Avenue in east Durham say they are living with constant criminal activity on their street, from car break-ins and stolen equipment to open fires and drug use in plain view of their children. One resident told WRAL he called 911 seventeen times in a single week, while another says a bullet came through his bedroom window just minutes into the new year.
Laurel Avenue sits east of downtown Durham, according to WRAL, and residents say the problems have piled up despite living close to the center of the city. One resident told the station thousands of dollars worth of work equipment had been stolen from his property. Eddie Hobbs, a District 5 PAC leader and Laurel Avenue homeowner, described a long list of issues plaguing the block, including drug activity, property theft, loitering, people defecating on yards, vandalism, open fires and recurring trash.
“We're having open fires burning on the street,” Hobbs said, per the station's reporting. Residents say they regularly see fire remnants left behind on sidewalks, and a nearby bus stop has been left covered in litter. Some Laurel Avenue residents now want the GoDurham bus stop moved elsewhere and are pushing for changes to the city's loitering ordinance, though what form those changes might take remains unclear.
Break-Ins, Needles and a Bullet Through a Window
The toll has landed hardest on residents' wallets and sense of safety. Veronica Tabor said her husband's car was broken into three times in a single week, and that the damaged door handles cost $1,200 each to repair. Charlitta Burruss, another Laurel Avenue resident and District 5 PAC leader, said needles and condoms are turning up in nearby Edgemont Park.
Families on the street say they've had to adjust their daily routines to shield their kids from what's happening outside. Almonte Marshall said she has had to shield her children from people urinating and smoking on the street, as well as from witnessing overdoses. Symone Frazier said she had her daughter's school bus stop changed because of a problematic corner, and asked how long residents are expected to seek help without getting it.
Hobbs said a bullet came through his bedroom window just 18 minutes after midnight on New Year's, underscoring how serious residents say the danger has become. The same report's reporting notes that WRAL previously covered a shooting in the area back in November 2025. Laurel Avenue sits roughly half a mile from Durham Police Department headquarters, a proximity several residents have pointed to in describing their frustration.
Police Say Patrols Have Increased
The Durham Police Department said District 5 commanders are aware of residents' concerns and that the department has increased directed patrols in the area, including a greater tactical and motor unit presence. Police said they continue enforcement and crime-prevention efforts, including addressing trespassing and observed violations when appropriate, and have encouraged residents to keep reporting criminal activity.
Still, homeowners on Laurel Avenue say they've reported incidents repeatedly and seen little change. A separate Durham Police Department District 5 Monthly Update posted on Nextdoor noted that patrol squads have conducted extra patrols in the area of Stokes Street and Laurel Avenue, and an older update from January 2022 reported 852 directed patrols, 114 foot patrols and 93 property checks across the district that month alongside a spike in motor-vehicle break-ins.
Citywide Numbers Paint a Mixed Picture
Durham's broader crime data for the first half of 2026 shows a mixed trend. According to a separate WRAL report, rape was up nearly 25% and aggravated assaults rose nearly 12% compared with the same period in 2025. The city recorded 18 homicides from January through June 2026, down from 19 during the same stretch the year before, and while the number of shooting incidents fell about 3%, the number of people shot climbed 14%.
Many Laurel Avenue residents own homes built by Habitat for Humanity and say they've invested in the neighborhood for years. Relva Smith said community members worked for their homes and pay taxes, and that she listed her own house for sale, only to have it go unsold because a realtor was afraid to come present it. Hobbs said the result is that residents feel trapped, unable to leave because their homes won't sell, even as some say they would rather move out altogether.
