Charlotte’s crime decreases overall this year, but police see increase in violent cases

Violent crime increased by 5% in the Charlotte area during the first half of 2021, driven in part by an “alarming” 66% increase in stolen firearms, police said.

From Jan. 1 to June 30, 554 firearms were reported stolen, according to Charlotte-Mecklenburg police, up from 334 over the same period in 2020.

Most of the weapons were taken from vehicles or homes, then used to commit other crimes, police Chief Johnny Jennings said during CMPD’s weekly news conference Wednesday. Jennings recommended keeping guns locked or hidden in secure locations and encouraged firearms owners not to leave guns in their vehicles overnight.

Overall, CMPD reported 6% fewer crimes in the first half of this year compared with the same period in 2020. Crime between January and June 2020 was already down by 9% in Charlotte compared to the same period in 2019, CMPD previously reported.

Police also recorded increases in these areas for the same six-month periods:

▪ Sexual assaults, 155 (up 42% from 109 in 2020)

▪ Aggravated assaults, 2,818 (up 13% from 2,499)

▪ Auto thefts, 1,374 (up 11% from 1,244)

Police also have seized more than 1,481 illegal firearms through June 30, a 35% increase.

CMPD noted decreases in these criminal activities for the same six-month periods:

▪ Commercial burglaries, 782 (down 26% from 1,059 in 2020)

▪ Residential burglaries, 904 (down 21% from 1,140). Burglaries as a whole decreased by 17% in 2020’s mid-year report.

▪ Armed robberies, 466 (down 19% from 572)

▪ Larcenies, 10,955 (down 7% from 11,876)

About the same number of homicides have been reported through June 30: 50 compared to last year’s 51. CMPD’s homicide clearance rate is down, however: it’s currently at 56%, compared to an average of 80% over the past several years, police said.

Jennings stressed the limits of all these comparisons, calling 2020 “an anomaly.”

“What we saw in the beginning of 2020 and all through 2020 are things that we have never seen before as a society, much less as a police department,” he said.

However, Jennings said he is encouraged by this year’s decreases in property crimes and is hopeful about the crime trends for the remainder of 2021.

“I think we’re going to see some great progress and I’m looking forward to it,” he said.

This story was originally published July 14, 2021 at 6:17 PM.