3/6: Gasoline Thefts Thieves are siphoning gas out of cars in our neighborhood, leaving victims' cars totally empty and disabled. They hit a family on Bass Lane on Tuesday night. The service tech who responded to our neighbor's AAA call reported that other such incidents have occurred in our neighborhood.
The night of the theft, a white sedan (possibly an Impala) was seen cruising up and down Bass Lane. The behaviour of the driver was not consistent with someone who was simply lost and looking for an address. This car and driver may have been involved in the crime.
4/6: Major Crime on Covedale! The Nasser home at 9527 Covedale was seriously vandalized today, with much internal damage to belongings, money stolen, and a fire set outside the home.
Officially, the fire department investigators say that the fire is "under investigation", but information received from the homeowners indicates that the fire, which damaged siding and a window, was fueled by gasoline and deliberately set. At the same time, someone broke into the home, did considerable damage to the inside, and robbed the home. Due to the short time frame, about 30 minutes, in which the home was unattended, the owners suspect that all these serious crimes were committed by the same people.
Neighbors, we MUST take action against such crime, before it takes over the neighborhood! If you have any information which might help investigators in any way, please call the Fire Investigation Task Force at 704-336-2441.
3/31: Sardis Cove Entrance Sign Missing! Our neighbors in Sardis Cove have asked us to be on the lookout for one of their community entrance signs. It is green and white, about 4 feet high by 6 feet wide. It may have been taken by vandals and discarded in the area. If you find it, please notify Dave, Judy, or Rod. THANKS!!!
2/11: A Sardis Woods resident observed a drug transfer at the Circle K at Sardis Rd N and Monroe at 2:30 this afternoon. The dealer was riding a motorscooter that has been seen on Monroe Road several times, he was wearing a red jacket and gray helmet. The buyer was a young man who lives on Riverwood.
2/11: Tuesday night there was an attempted breakin on Smokehouse Drive. The perpetrators got in the door but the alarm went off and they ran.
2/10: Here is the latest E-Alert from CMPD:
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg police department would like your help!
Don’t allow someone to remove your valuables from the inside of your vehicle.
Please consider the following tips to prevent YOU from becoming a victim.
- Always lock your doors and roll up your windows
- Never leave valuable items in your vehicle
- If you must store packages in the trunk of your vehicle when you get out take a moment, put yourself in the mindset of the criminal and determine if there is any reason why you would break into your vehicle. If so, take an extra step to move, secure, hide items...etc. Before you place items such as a purse, computer, gifts etc. in the trunk, look around and make sure no one suspicious is watching you. Criminals will sit back away in a car and watch for there targets, or “Hunting”. If it doesn’t feel or look right, it’s probably not!
- Remove items such as telephones, ipods, purses, briefcase, backpack, cash and even loose change each time you leave your vehicle.
- Park in well lit areas at night
- Park vehicle in the driveway rather than the street
- Consider a car alarm for added protection
- Call 911 if you see any suspicious activity
ENCOURAGE YOUR FAMILY, FRIENDS AND CO-WORKERS TO KEEP VALUABLES OUT OF THEIR VEHICLES AT HOME, WORK OR WHILE RUNNING ERRANDS.
1/18: We've had several reports of door-to-door "solicitors", who first apologize for construction noise, then try to get the resident to look through a Sears catalog for home improvements, upon which (they say) the resident can get a discount.
We cannot say for sure whether these people are legitimate, but the activity does fit the pattern of other recent visitors to the neighborhood, who were looking for unattended homes to burglarize.
If anyone fitting a similar pattern of activity comes to your door, we recommend that you (1) point out our no-soliciting policy, and (2) call the police and ask that they check these people out.
12/24: A car window was shot out on Harps Mill Court sometime during the night of 12/23. The police have been notified. If you saw or heard anything that might help, please notify the police at the Independence Division.
12/20: On thursday night at about 11:00 pm, a neighbor on riverwood noticed a male riding a bicycle. This person was checking the doors on cars along the road. The police were called.
12/15: Two more break-ins have been reported in Sardis Woods. In both cases, suspects are described a two black males, driving a white Chevrolet pickup truck. If you see anyone fitting this description, please notify the police immediately.
11/27: James Compton reports that several mailboxes were vandalized last night. He was alerted by the noise, and saw three young men walking down Bass Lane, in the direction of Sardis in the Park. If you see people roaming about the neighborhood later than would seem to be necessary, please call the police and ask them to check it out. Keeping our neighborhood safe requires our being observant, persistant, and in communication with our police!
11/24: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police have issued a SPECIAL PERSONAL SAFETY ALERT ... Please read it here.
11/19: Please see an important message from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department at: CMPD Bulletin 11/19/2008.
10/30: From Officer Brent Helms, CMPD: Please notify your neighborhoods to be aware of recent increases in house break-ins around the South/East Charlotte area. It appears that burglars are striking during the day while you are at work. The targets are mostly Jewelry, electronics and guns! Below is a list of common tips regarding home security, but mostly please keep views from the outside in obscured as best as possible, like closing your curtains when you leave. A burglar likes to window shop prior to kicking in your door. Keep jewelry hidden as well as possible, maybe in a safe somewhere. The latest trend: suspects usually steal a vehicle from across town, many have been minivans, and they will pull into the driveway of the target home or the one next to it. There is usually 2 or more suspects, one will go to the front door and ring doorbell. If no one appears to be home the rest will get out and quickly look around (window shop) then go around back to kick the door in. If you see anything suspicious in your neighborhood, please call 911 immediately and express to the operator it may be a break-in in progress. Get a detailed description of the subjects and the vehicle including tag number if possible. You are the eyes and ears for your communities and we need your partnership!
Contact Officer Helms at 704-841-1477 or chelms@cmpd.org.
10/23: The home of Bill and Denise White was broken into. Neighbors suspect that a black woman seen near the home, who claimed to be selling magazines, was instead scouting their place for the thief. About two hours later, a black male in his mid-40s, driving a beat-up white pickup truck broke through the front door and started loading up. He fled when a neighbor came home.
If you have any information regarding persons fitting either description, please give this information to police!
10/15: Two mailboxes on Falls Church have been destroyed within the last week. The nature of the damage suggests that these mailboxes were NOT knocked down by a car. These incidents have occurred during the work day. If you are aware of any other vandalism incidents in the neighborhood, please report these to the police, AND let us know (so that we can post the information here).
9/5: Dave & Judy Clark have reported a home break-in on Shadow Rock Court TODAY, shortly before noon. An alert neighbor saw three young black men leaving the home and called police. Items stolen were electronic equipment, a camera, and cash. The perpetrators were driving a tan van. Our neighbor got the tag number and reported it to the police.
9/5: PLEASE be watching in the neighborhood for a maroon van bearing North Carolina license plate SXZ4285. If you see this van in our area, please notify the police. This van is strongly suspected as being involved with drug activity.
8/25: There was a daytime break-in on Watergate. Two black males knocked at the door for several minutes, then assuming there was no one at home, kicked the door in. The homeowner confronted them as they entered, and they left in a silver compact sedan.
Police recommend that in similar circumstances, you should make the "visitor" aware that someone is home, even if you do not answer the door. If someone at your door causes you to feel uncomfortable in any way, call 911!
8/25: An entrance sign at Sardis Cove was vandalized and partially destroyed. Members of the Sardis Cove HOA suspect involvement of teens in Sardis Woods. If you know anything about this, please contact us through the website.
4/22: At about 4:00 am on 4/22, the Millers (Smoke House Court) heard a prowler on their back deck. The prowler triggered the motion-sensitive light, and left immediately. Nothing was broken or taken. The Millers called the police, but the prowler was gone before they arrived. All neighbors are cautioned to keep all doors and windows locked, and outside lights on.
2/8: From Yvonne Darragh: At 12:15 p.m. Friday, February 8th, 2008, a silver Honda mounted the sidewalk, knocked over my mailbox, and drove off without stopping, leaving the wing mirror from the car broken on my driveway.
1/17: A vagrant has been seen in the neighborhood going door-to-door, offering to do landscaping or other work for the residents. If anyone appearing suspicious comes to your door, (1) do not open your door to that person, and (2) call 911 immediately!
12/13: Last night about, about 6 p.m. we heard three gunshots in rapid succession in the wooded area behind our house. Lewis is familiar with the sound of gunfire from having been in the military and a police officer, and he said it was definitely gunfire and very close. We did not call the police because within minutes after hearing the shots, we heard multiple sirens that stopped close by and assumed it was being addressed. We went out just after that, and when we returned about 9, a dog down the street that is normally quiet was barking. Just after that, Beverly Prevette, who lives two houses down called to tell us that she saw a man walking fast from our back yard, across the Loves' yard, and when he reached her fence he went into the street. By the time she called us, no one was in sight, and she did not see where he went after he got to the street. We checked our and the Loves' doors, windows, storage buildings and the antique car in our back yard and everything appeared to be okay. Again, we did not call the police because there was nothing/no one for them to see. We were unsure if the person may have been related to the 6 p.m. incident and just leaving the wooded area, planning to break into one of the house and left when we came home or totally unrelated to either, but thought perhaps an e-mail should be sent to the block captains to make them aware that some is obviously prowling about the neighborhood.
--June A. Miller
12/2: A bicycle has been found, abandoned on the street near 9501 Covedale. If this is your bike, please call Dave or Judy at 704-845-1130 and describe the bike to them, in order to recover it.
10/4: Please be alert for a fake "solicitor" who has been going door-to-door, using the pretext of fundraising for a local sports team, to gain entry to homes for robbery.
This person has not struck (yet) in Sardis Woods, but has been involved in three reported incidents in other neighborhoods nearby. One report specified that he claimed to be raising funds for the UNCC baseball team, but the name he gave was unknown to UNCC athletic officials.
It is reported that, when questioned or confronted, this man quickly became angry, pushy and insistent. Even without prior warning, residents were wary enough of his behavior to lock him out and call 911.
Subject is white male, early 20s, athletic build, with short brown hair. In prior reports he was dressed casually, and was described as well-groomed, attractive, and articulate. DO NOT HESITATE to call 911 if you see someone fitting this description!
9/6: A mountain bike was stolen sometime between the evening of 9/4 and morning of 9/5 from a shed on Sunnywood.
There was an attempted breakin of a home on upper Covedale (across from Covewood Ct). The glass was broken next to the door but the owner was home and the theives ran away.
Please let your neighbors know to stay alert and lock up!!
8/13: A 24-ft fiberglass extension ladder was stolen from the Muesing home on 7/31. SWNA was notified of this on 8/11. A white truck has been seen in the neighborhood which may have been involved with this and other thefts. Please be on the lookout for a white truck, or for any vehicle which does not appear to belong here.
8/8: The residence of 9601 Covedale had solar lights and plants stolen from around their mailbox last night.
8/8: A ladder was stolen from Covewood Court on 7/31, probably between 7:30 am and 9:00 am.
7/23: We had an unususal incident on Harps Mill this week (7/24-28). A neighbor went out at 7:30 am to find an abandoned car idling in his driveway. He called police, who determined that the car had been stolen.
Please keep your own cars locked at all times, and call 911 immediately to report suspicious activity.
7/10: In the past few weeks Alvin and Janis Hough on Covewood Court have been hit by thieves. First a large black wash pot being used as a planter was stolen. Alvin felt it would take two adults to pick it up. Then sometime between 7/5 in the evening and 7/6 in the morning, the Houghs American flag was taken. Please be cautious and report any such activity to the Independence Division of the police department at 704-841-1477.