Crime is up in Carrboro. Here's how you can stay safe.

Crime is on the rise in Carrboro, according to UNC's 2019 Annual Security and Fire Safety Report. 

Over the past three years, the number of reported motor vehicle thefts in Carrboro have more than tripled, from eight in 2016 to 28 in 2018. The number of robberies, burglaries and dating/domestic abuse incidents have also increased since 2016. 

The crimes have not been centralized in any particular part of Carrboro, but more densely populated areas may have more instances of crime. 

While Chris Atack, captain of the administrative division of the Carrboro Police Department, said he believes the other increases are mainly because of the “natural ebb and flow of crimes,” he said the jump in motor vehicle thefts is unusual.

“The motor vehicle theft is interesting because you’re seeing a tripling there over three years. I am not aware of anything going on that would support that,” said Atack. “That will be a question that I will have to ask one of my investigators to see if there’s anything going on.”

Atack said their uniform patrols are one of the main things the Carrboro Police Department does to try to deter these crimes, but they have been short officers over the past few years. This means there may be fewer patrol cars out on the streets. 

“The reality is that if someone wants to steal something, certain things are not going to deter a determined person," said Atack. "But taking precautions may deter some folks who are not extremely determined.”  

As for right now, there are several precautions Carrboro residents can take to decrease the likelihood of being a victim of a crime.

Every day, the Carrboro Police Department posts a daily bulletin of arrests, accidents and other incidents that occurred. The website is called Police 2 Citizen and is accessible to the general public. The department opens up this information to help keep the public informed of what’s going on where they live. 

However, Carrboro resident and UNC student Julia Dudick said she wishes that the CPD did more to inform residents.

“I’m from Charlotte and I see information posters all the time like 'Lock your cars, take your keys and don’t leave anything in plain sight in your car,'” said Dudick. “But I don’t really see signs like that around here.”

Shayna Cox has worked for the Carrboro Police Department as an officer since 2016.

“With a lot of vehicle break-ins I see, the majority of the time, people just leave their doors unlocked,” said Cox. “My advice would be to every time, lock your doors as soon as you get out and keeping valuables out of sight.”

Atack advises that residents take general precautions to stay safe in their homes, such as locking their doors, having outdoor lights and a security system and trimming their hedges.

Lastly, the department offers house checks for residents while they are out of town. All they need to do is call the police station and talk with someone to set it up.

@kcarp3nter

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