crime in south charlotte (Waxhaw, Wesley Chapel: appointed, fit in, chapel)

[jlat]

Originally Posted by anifani821

And MJ, please know - this is in no way directed personally towards you! But you can see how this situation has created a real sense of alienation for those of us who are natives here. We were living in a lowcost, safe area . . . and b/c of the quality of life we had created here for ourselves . . . transplants have flocked here . . . and the infrastructure is strained.

Now those of us who had planned on staying here into retirement and were counting on the same reasonable growth and tax increases that we have enjoyed here for a century . . . well . . .we are going to pay a heavy price. I am glad others like Charlotte . . .but I am not happy about the prospect of my taxes sky-rocketing to accommodate the growth. Modest and measured increases - sure! But I don't think that is possible w/ the burgeoning growth.

AMEN!!! I hear this all the time on this board..."I paid X more dollars in <insert your preferred northern town>" so its okay if taxes go up here to pay for" ...<insert some underfunded infrastructure or service>. Those of us that have lived here our whole lives and have retired here as well and are on a fixed income, cannot afford to pay for more growth. Union County's debt is the highest in the 20 county piedmont region. Why? We have to keep paying for schools. In less than 5 years UC's tax rate will surpass Mecklenburg (Charlotte). That's pretty tough for a predominately rural county. My own property taxes went up 11% in unincorporated UC from 06 to 07. That's totally unacceptable, yet the county leadership continues to spend like a drunken sailor and continues to pander to the devleoper and reality industry. I don't mean to offend, but growth does not pay for itself, and those of us that worked our tails off to have a decent life here in the county are getting the shaft by having to pay for the uncontrolled growth that is exploding in the western part of the county.

[Seattlemom]

Where are the gangs living that they can get out to the surbrurbs so easily? I thought Weddington was suppose to be a nice area. How is that they police allow the gangs and criminals to stake out the shopping centers in the late eveing hours? Why don't they deter them by patroling this areas in the evening? Seems easy enough.

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by Seattlemom

Where are the gangs living that they can get out to the surbrurbs so easily? I thought Weddington was suppose to be a nice area. How is that they police allow the gangs and criminals to stake out the shopping centers in the late eveing hours? Why don't they deter them by patroling this areas in the evening? Seems easy enough.

This is really not so complicated - the criminal mind is often very clever. They know about the huge amount of wealth in this city, and in western Union county in particular. I think they target certain high end areas because they know they will be able to steal big ticket items. They get out to the suburbs so easily by simply driving there - it's not like we have a border with guards stopping folks from driving wherever they want to go (that would be Hilton Head Island!).

Oh, and this isn't "gang activity" - it's mostly just criminal activity.

[jlat]

Originally Posted by Seattlemom

Where are the gangs living that they can get out to the surbrurbs so easily? I thought Weddington was suppose to be a nice area. How is that they police allow the gangs and criminals to stake out the shopping centers in the late eveing hours? Why don't they deter them by patroling this areas in the evening? Seems easy enough.

I think what has been posted is a bit misleading. Weddington is a very safe area. There are no gangs trolling the parking lots in shopping centers in the Weddington area. That said, shopping center parking lots do, at times, attract a significant number of teens and young adults, especially when the weather is nice. The Harris Teeter shopping center on Providence Rd is one of those places. There are also a significant amount of tradesman, construction workers and day laborers coming and going in that area. (goes with all the growth), and many of those are driving "work cars" that may not always look their best. It is easy to sometimes preceive things as something other than it really is. A lot of the breaking and entering type of crime can be tied back to those people that are in the area for a short period of time and move on (per the Union County Sheriff). It is also important to know that Weddington, Wesley Chapel, Indian Trail and Marvin have NO dedicated police force. They contract police enforcement from the county (or from Waxhaw and Stallings who do have dedicated forces). This means that you aren't going to see a police car patrolling the neighborhoods and the parking lots of shopping centers as much as you would if there were dedicated forces. This is not to say that that there is not police enforcement, but not nearly as visable as it would be with a dedicated force.

In general the area is very safe. That's not to mean that you shouldn't use care in coming and going and around your house. Crime is every where now, not just the inner cities, not just in the "bad neighborhoods". But, at least for now, it is a pretty safe place to be.

[anifani821]

Originally Posted by lovesMountains

This is really not so complicated - the criminal mind is often very clever. They know about the huge amount of wealth in this city, and in western Union county in particular. I think they target certain high end areas because they know they will be able to steal big ticket items. They get out to the suburbs so easily by simply driving there - it's not like we have a border with guards stopping folks from driving wherever they want to go (that would be Hilton Head Island!).

Oh, and this isn't "gang activity" - it's mostly just criminal activity.

Good point, Loves. And may I add - not like Seattle doesn't have gangs and crime. I have been there so I know better. In addition, just google crime seattle or gangs seattle. I cannot imagine why someone coming from Seattle would be so incredulous about crime. ?????? I fear things have been blown out of proportion and Seattlemom has gotten a very skewered impression of the Queen City.

BTW - I mentioned in an earlier post that there are burglars breaking into new construction and stealing appliances. Well, they just arrested one of the guys involved and have recovered stolen property. This was on Channel 9 tonite. So yes, things are happening, but that would be 2 burglars doing this type of thing who have now been caught in the last week or so.

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by anifani821

Good point, Loves. And may I add - not like Seattle doesn't have gangs and crime. I have been there so I know better. In addition, just google crime seattle or gangs seattle. I cannot imagine why someone coming from Seattle would be so incredulous about crime. ?????? I fear things have been blown out of proportion and Seattlemom has gotten a very skewered impression of the Queen City.

BTW - I mentioned in an earlier post that there are burglars breaking into new construction and stealing appliances. Well, they just arrested one of the guys involved and have recovered stolen property. This was on Channel 9 tonite. So yes, things are happening, but that would be 2 burglars doing this type of thing who have now been caught in the last week or so.

I believe nkjaws has reported that the theft of new items from new construction homes by workers who did work on the homes and later come back to steal from them, is quite a problem in her new neighborhood in Steele Creek. I know this is not a new problem, just a more pronounced one now that we have SO MUCH new construction going on in our developing areas.

[anifani821]

Originally Posted by lovesMountains

I believe nkjaws has reported that the theft of new items from new construction homes by workers who did work on the homes and later come back to steal from them, is quite a problem in her new neighborhood in Steele Creek. I know this is not a new problem, just a more pronounced one now that we have SO MUCH new construction going on in our developing areas.

I hope this will be the end of that activity. Maybe anyone else engaging in - or thinking about- this type of crime will realize it is just a matter of time til they get caught up with. It was reported that this guy they just caught has been ripping into construction from Concord to S. CLT.

[anifani821]

[Dreaded double post! server acting up)

[Seattlemom]

[quote=anifani821;2651995]Good point, Loves. And may I add - not like Seattle doesn't have gangs and crime. I have been there so I know better. In addition, just google crime seattle or gangs seattle. I cannot imagine why someone coming from Seattle would be so incredulous about crime. ?????? I fear things have been blown out of proportion and Seattlemom has gotten a very skewered impression of the Queen City.


Sure Seattle the city and lower income areas south of Seattle has crime. If there are gangs they are not in the surburbs commiting crimes. The police forces out here would not allow it. We live in the Eastside of Seattle where there is very little or no crime maybe soem teenagers drinking or something very minor. I am just not use to the feeling that crimes is everywhere. I feel safe here where I would not think to be freeked out if we left doors unlocked or going to the grocery store in the late evening. So yes this reporting of crime is very alarming.

[MJPost32]

I don't want to freak people out I just was venting and want peoplw to be aware. I was expectign a southern country lifestyle with no crime and gangs do exist in many of the suburban neighborhoods here. I have three houses to the right of me that moved from other neighborhoods in Union County b/c they had gangs in the neighborhood. We aren't use to this in neighborhoods so when we meet our neighbors and they told us what happened in this various other neighborhoods it made us a little nervous about the neighborhood we are currently in and wonder if it will happen here. We already have problems with the neighborhood behind us and the cops haven't done anything.

Now there are also plenty of teenage activites that occur and the people that look shady at the HT's I have seen have not been teenagers. They are grown men.

to answer someone's question I don't know why the police don't patrol that is my question but again I think the problem really has to do with the jails..there aren't enough and the courts are supposedly 2 yrs. backed up! So if they catch someone they basically go back on the street.

I will say Charlotte has the freindliest people we have ever meet!!! We really love Charlotte we just aren''t sure if we will stay and raise a family yet.

I do feel sorry for the natives though. I am sure you miss your smaller communities! We too wanted a smaller community area but near a large city...hard to find without paying high taxes and crazy house prices these days!