How safe are malls around Charlotte? These crime stats highlight the trends

The recent shooting in a Concord Mills parking lot that left a 13-year-old girl dead and two other teens wounded also cast a pall on safety at Charlotte area malls.

Tens of millions of shoppers visit Northlake, SouthPark, Carolina Place and Concord Mills each year. A new data analysis by the Observer shows crime at those malls is actually trending down.

The Observer asked the police departments that oversee 911 responses to the malls for statistics on crime. The data show crime at the malls generally was lower in 2019 than in the two years prior.

Concord Mills had the lowest total number of reported crimes, with 888 incidents, the analysis showed. Over the last three years, the mall also had the least amount of violent crimes — eight, including the Dec. 28 fatal shooting — compared to Charlotte’s other large malls.

Concord Mills officials say they use both “seen and unseen” security measures, which includes patrols by private security officers and Concord Police. “We are committed to providing a safe and secure environment for our shoppers, retailers and employees,” the mall said in a statement.

Safety priorities

Northlake Mall had the highest number of total incidents over the last three years, with 1,700 non-violent crimes and 17 violent ones.

“Our security teams are on-site 24/7... While we don’t share security and response details, we may implement additional measures from time to time — some of which are visible to shoppers and guests, while others are not,” Northlake Mall said in a statement.

Like the other malls, Northlake had less crime in 2019 than in the prior two years, according to statistics provided by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.

Statistics for Carolina Place mall show Pineville Police responded to 1,498 non-violent crimes and 19 violent ones over the last three years. Last year, officers reported 451 crimes at the mall, which is less than in years past.

“We do not publicly disclose our protocols, doing so could compromise the effectiveness of them, but the safety of those that walk through our doors is our top priority,” Carolina Place said in a statement.

The mall with the highest number of violent crimes reported by police in the last three years is SouthPark mall. Simon Property Group owns that mall as well as Concord Mills.

SouthPark had 30 violent crimes between 2017 and last year, according to data provided by CMPD. The total number of crimes over three years including non-violent incidents was 1,550, the data show.

SouthPark mall did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

Planning is key

Retail security experts say the statistics for each mall in Charlotte aren’t necessarily indicators of potential danger but shed light on how well existing security measures may be working.

Malls spend a lot of resources planning for security but “unless your (security) person is there on the spot, it may be difficult to prevent” crime, says mall and retail security expert David Levenberg.

“You can plan for a lot but you can’t necessarily prevent everything... Cases reported to police are only one indication if security is adequate or not,” Levenberg said. “The mall doesn’t control what happens in a store.”

Levenberg, owner of Center Security Services in Florida, helps malls develop security programs. He has nearly 40 years of experience in retail loss prevention and security for properties including Brookfield, which owns Carolina Place Mall.

He says malls and shopping centers should have an in-house expert or consultant analyze risks and consider factors such as area crime trends and major crimes that could happen again. Centers also should install modernize video equipment, implement outside vehicle patrols by car, bike or other modes, install adequate outside lighting, and train tenants to be observant and notify mall security about problems.

It’s hard to compare mall-to-mall crime numbers because there are too many variables, Levenberg said, like location and severity of incidents. There’s no national database to track security issues at malls, he said.

Levenberg said if there’s been a shooting on the property, owners should partner with local police and confer with other retailers.

The Concord Police Department maintains a substation on mall property, which opened in 1999 when the mall did. The other three big Charlotte-area malls do not have police substations.

The relationship with police is important, Levenberg said, because mall operators need to know how crime in the surrounding community could spill over onto their property.

What can malls do?

“Malls are very popular trolling grounds for opportunity felons,” said J.R. Roberts of JR Roberts Security Strategies in Balsam. “Proactive, problem-oriented policing should be going on with police departments.”

Roberts, who has 40 years of security and crime prevention experience, suggests, for example, if there are parking lot incidents to increase patrols and install cameras and signs.

He recommends high visibility of patrols, aggressive rules and uniform enforcement to change behavior.

“Criminal trespass is a very powerful tool,” Roberts said, referring to the ability of local authorities to ban people from properties after an incident.

In the 1990s, Roberts said fights and disturbances plagued malls across the country as they became de facto babysitters. Curfews or requirements that teens have adult supervision at the mall has helped.

Still, Levenberg said, enforcing curfews can be costly. It takes more staff at entrances to check IDs and hurts public relations.

“The reality is a lot of times parents want their kids to go to the mall. They assume it’s a safe place, and it still is to a degree,” he said. “But getting a lot of teens together can (be) disruptive.”

In Charlotte, Northlake Mall implemented a curfew in 2009, requiring adult supervision for anyone younger than age 18 on Fridays and Saturdays after 5 p.m. Concord Mills, SouthPark and Carolina Place do not have curfews although some retailers may have their own rules.

What can shoppers do?

To protect yourself while shopping, experts say, situational awareness is crucial.

“People should know, in general, shopping centers are very safe places to be... But don’t be on the phone texting (while walking) through a parking lot into a shopping center,” Levenberg said.

He and Roberts offer the following tips:

▪ Park close to the entrance and keep your car doors locked until you exit the vehicle.

▪ Keep keys in hand — for quick access to your car or for self-defense.

▪ Ask customer service for a security escort to your vehicle if you’re uncomfortable, or go with a friend.

▪ Walk with purpose and make eye contact with people you pass.

Database editor Gavin Off and reporter Amanda Zhou contributed.

This story was originally published January 13, 2020 at 5:30 AM.