60 Year-Old Woman Abducted From South Blvd., Forced to Withdraw Cash From ATMs

CMPD Seeking Public’s Help in Identifying Suspect

 

Submitted by Alison Hill, Community Web Producer

Monday, September 26th, 2011

 

SOUTH END/WEST CHARLOTTE –

Police are searching for a man they say kidnapped a 60-year-old woman and forced her to withdraw hundreds of dollars from her account at a west Charlotte ATM.

 

 

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police need the public’s help identifying a suspect said to have kidnapped a woman and forced her to withdraw hundreds from her bank account.

The incident happened just around 9:30 p.m. on Saturday. 

According to the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department, the suspect forced the woman into her car at the CVS in the 1500 block of South Boulevard and told her to drive to the Bank of America on Freedom Drive.

Police said the man implied that he had a weapon.

The woman was forced to make three separate transactions – two worth $203 and one worth $103. The suspect also stole around $30 from the woman’s handbag, police said.

The woman was unharmed and released in a safe place, said a report filed with CMPD.

Police released photos of the suspect captured by the camera in the ATM machine. He is described as a 35-year-old man, weighing about 150 pounds and is 5’6″ tall.

If you have any information on this crime or can identify the suspect, call the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department.

http://southend.wbtv.com/news/crime/67421-woman-kidnapped-forced-withdraw-hundreds-atm-police-say

Charlotte City Council Votes to Spend $1.8 Million on New Tasers for CMPD

by ANN SHERIDAN / NewsChannel 36 – September 27, 2011

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Family and friends of two men killed by tasers stood side by side Monday night at Charlotte’s city council meeting.

“As time goes by I miss him more and more,” Tammy Fontenot said.

Fontenot was talking about her son Darryl Turner. He was shot by a Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer using a taser during an altercation at a Food Lion store where Turner worked in 2008.

Because of Turner’s death, and a second death involving an officer using a taser on 21-year-old Lareko Williams two months ago, The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department asked city Council for new and improved tasers Monday night.

“We believe we’re taking aggressive steps to keep people safe as well as the law enforcement of this city,” said chief Rodney Monroe.

The new taser model – called X-2 – has better safety features and will only give an electrical charge for five seconds when the trigger is activated. The older models could shoot electrical charges much longer.

City Council voted unanimously for the 1,600 new tasers that will cost the city $1.8 million.

“I think it’s a step in the right direction… [but] no, it can’t bring my son back,” said Fontenot. “[But] yes, I forgave the officer a long time ago.”

CMPD Receives Training for Democrat Convention

From The Charlotte Observer of August 15, 2011 by Franco Ordonez

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security will begin training exercises today with Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers in preparation for the Democratic National Convention, federal officials said.

The three-day course will be offered by the agency’s Center for Domestic Preparedness. Officials would not discuss specifics, but agency spokesman Derek Jensen said the training is paid for by the federal agency and involves a mix of classroom work and on-the-ground instruction.

Preparations for providing security for President Barack Obama and the 35,000 delegates and visitors who will converge on Charlotte next year for the Democratic National Convention kicked up a notch in the last several weeks.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department has also begun the process of lining up police partners.

On Wednesday, Hickory Police Chief Tom Adkins said he got a letter from CMPD Chief Rodney Monroe requesting assistance. The request included dates officers will be needed, their expected duties and necessary equipment. Not every department has received a letter, but police officials in Greensboro, Concord and Monroe said they have also agreed to help.

The Charlotte police force is expected to roughly double in size by adding an estimated 2,400 to 3,400 officers for the four-day extravaganza that begins Sept. 3, 2012. These officers will be called upon to help handle any scenario, from a terrorist attack to a disorderly delegate.

“We’re going to give them every single available person we have,” said Chief Debra Duncan of the Monroe Police Department.

Chief Monroe declined to speak with the Observer. Department spokesman Robert Tufano said he could not discuss specific resources or methods for security reasons, but the goal is to work with multiple agencies to develop “a seamless security plan that will create a secure environment” for the dignitaries, participants and the general public.

“There is a tremendous amount of advance planning and coordination in the areas of venue security, air space security, training, communications and credentialing,” Tufano said.

Guidelines written by the Department of Justice recommend local law enforcement begin planning 12 to 18 months prior to the event. Police should, among other things, begin coordinating resources with federal and local law enforcement agencies, addressing any legal issues, and complete any necessary partnership agreements.

Some 57 law enforcement agencies were called on to assist at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colo., said Lt. Matthew Murray of the Denver Police Department. Denver authorities had set up a detainee processing center at an old city warehouse expecting an onslaught of arrests, but in the end made only 152.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg officials have not announced any plans for creating a special jail for the convention. Mecklenburg County Sheriff Chipp Bailey said this summer that those arrested at the convention could end up being processed at the Jail Annex in north Charlotte. Anyone who makes bail would be released 10 miles away from the center of convention activities. Bailey said the distance would allow for “a cooling-off period.”

Coordination, particularly setting clear “rules of engagements” is paramount to a successful event, Murray said. The Charlotte force will be measured by the actions of every officer regardless of where they came from, he said.

The officers from all over Colorado conducted thousands of hours of training together to develop a common set of marching orders, lines of communication – and just to learn one another’s names.

“This is a dangerous situation,” Murray said. “I need to know that you have my back and you need to know I have your back. We have to establish this camaraderie ahead of time.”

The additional costs to bring in these officers is expected to be paid for by federal convention funds through the Department of Justice, established after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. In 2008, Congress appropriated $100 million to reimburse state and local law enforcement at the Democratic and Republican presidential conventions in Denver and Minneapolis, respectively.

Last month, Mayor Anthony Foxx traveled to Washington, D.C., with the mayor of Tampa, which is hosting the 2012 Republican National Convention, to ask Congress for $55 million each in security funds.

Members of the Hickory Police Department have already begun special training exercises.

In June, members of the department’s special operations team took part in a three-day VIP Training led at Catawba Valley Community College’s Law Enforcement Training Program.

On the final day of the training, officers conducted an exercise on how to escort a dignitary to an event.

Carrying assault rifles and traveling in a three-vehicle motorcade, the officers practiced escorting a dignitary into and out of Hickory High School.

Adkins said he didn’t expect his officers would be protecting dignitaries at the convention, but said the simulation would help his officers back Secret Service agents who will be leading that part of the process.

Charlotte could also get some assistance from South Carolina, Virginia or other states. State Sen. Dan Clodfelter, a Charlotte Democrat, introduced a bill that was passed this spring allowing out-of-state officers to assist with large conventions.

Police officials in Atlanta said they do not currently have plans to send officers to the convention, but said any requests would be considered. Gaston police said they have not been officially called, but are also available to help if needed.

Chief Duncan in Monroe said she expects Charlotte to come up with a detailed operations plan coordinating the work and responsibilities for every officer.

“You can’t just bring in thousands of officers from all over the state and send them out there and say ‘go serve and protect,’ ” she said. “There has to be structure.”

Traffic Light Camera Scam Steals Your Money and Identity

By Jessica Citizen | Tecca, YAHOO! Autos

Traffic light cameras are annoying at the best of times, but while some people manage to escape the fines, most of us simply pay up without thinking about it or questioning whether the charge is valid. Tricky scammers are taking advantage of that lazy human tendency, making a handful of money and stealing identities in the process.

 

Scare tactics

The scam is simple. A no-good type picks your phone number at random and, once you answer, tells you that you have an overdue red light camera fine. The only way to avoid a significant late fee, a court case, or even jail time is to pay the bill right then and there over the phone. If you don’t pay up, you’re threatened with a warrant for your arrest.

Of course, there was no camera, no photograph, and no overdue bill. The scammer really has no ability to arrest you, fine you, or take you to court.

Taken Off Guard

The voice at the end of the phone line identifies itself as that of a police officer, possibly even giving you a (phony) identification number. As well as trusting you to be lazy and not do your fact checking, the scammer is working on the element of surprise. It’s scary to be told you may be facing a jail sentence over something you have no recollection of doing, and you’ll be more inclined to overlook a few simple signs that should tell you that the phone call is anything but legitimate.

After convincing you to pay the fraudulent fine, the “traffic cop” will ask for your credit card information, including the security code. That’s required information for paying any bill from a remote location. Alarm bells should start ringing as the questions continue, though, as the caller asks for your billing address, date of birth and Social Security number. Surely, the police would have some — if not all — of this information on file. They have your license plate in the photo from the red light camera, after all.

That’s Not our Style

No American police agency currently conducts business like this; in fact, no agencies anywhere conduct business like this. The police do not use the telephone to chase down or collect overdue fines or tickets. They use the postal service or, in more dire cases, a process server or law enforcement officer.

Even if things did get to the third-party debt collector stage, all correspondence would be carried out in writing, creating an official paper trail that can be traced back and audited if necessary.

The police (and most other authorities) will not ask you for personal information over the phone unless you initiated the call. Dialing the cable company to pay your bill by credit card is one thing — you dialed the numbers, and you can be relatively certain you are connected to the right party. But even with Caller ID, there is no real way to verify incoming calls; if questioned, scammers can come up with a quick excuse. Perhaps they are “calling from a different office” or “a new number that hasn’t been set up yet.”

Other Variations

While this red light camera scam is relatively new (originating in Texas, by the way), it’s very similar to another popular identity theft attempt. In that instance, you’ll receive a call informing you that you have missed jury duty and — you guessed it — must pay a fine or be slapped with a late fee, along with possible jail time or a court case of your own.

Just like the traffic camera scam, there is no missed jury duty, and the “court official” on the other end of the phone is after your money and your personal information.

Throwing You Off the Scent

In a particularly nasty twist, you might receive a second call a few days later. The operator made a mistake — it wasn’t your car in the photograph, or it wasn’t really your name on the jury duty list. Gushing apologies, the caller will fall over himself to reassure you that your credit card will not be billed and that he is very sorry for wasting your time and causing you undue stress.

This second call, of course, is a distraction. You are so happy that you aren’t really in trouble that you don’t think back over the phone calls too closely and don’t think to check your bank account to double-check the transaction. By the time you do check, it’s often too late.

Common Sense Prevails

Fortunately, this simple scam has an equally simple method of prevention. Never, ever provide personal or financial information over the phone, email, text, or mail when solicited by a stranger. At the same time, find out as much as you can about the caller. Get a contact number, name, account number, job title, and any other relevant information that will help you identify them later. Tell them a story about wanting the information in case you need to call back later, if you must. (Hint: They’re not going to want to give their details freely.)

If you believe you may have been sucked in by this scam, call your credit card company immediately and cancel your card(s). Look carefully at your statements to see if there are any fraudulent transactions, and report those as soon as you can. Consider getting fraud alerts placed on your credit report by contacting your credit bureau, too; these can be free and well worth your time, if you’re concerned.

If you’ve handed over your Social Security number, slap yourself on the wrist and report that to the authorities, too. You will, unfortunately, need to take further steps to protect yourself from more serious fraud and identity theft.

CMPD: One Person Shot in West Charlotte

Shooting took place in residential neighborhood in broad daylight

From The Charlotte Observer of September 15, 2011 By Meghan Cooke

Police responding to a report of gunfire discovered a person shot in a car Thursday afternoon west of Charlotte’s uptown.

The shooting happened around 4:30 p.m. at the intersection of Camp Greene Street and Marlowe Avenue in a neighborhood off Wilkinson Boulevard, according to Charlotte-Mecklenburg police.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police investigate the scene of a shooting Thursday afternoon near the intersection of Camp Greene Street and Marlowe Avenue, west of uptown. Police said they discovered the victim shot in a car.

When officers arrived, they found a person with at least one gunshot wound inside a vehicle on Marlowe Avenue. The victim has not been identified.

Paramedics said they rushed the victim, who suffered life-threatening injuries, to Carolinas Medical Center.

Nearby residents watched as police blocked a section of the street with crime scene tape and then bagged and photographed evidence. Investigators also examined the car where the victim was found, which was parked just past the intersection.

Police said they do not yet have a description of the suspect.

Johnson and Wales University Student Reports Being Robbed

Yet another brazen daylight armed robbery

 

 From the Charlotte Observer By Meghan Cooke – September 14, 2011

 

Months after a string of robberies of students near Johnson & Wales University, police are investigating another robbery near the uptown campus this week.

Earlier this year, the university beefed up security and told students to walk in groups after dark after three armed robberies of students were reported around the campus within 10 days in April.

Just before 5 p.m. Sunday, a student was walking near the corner of Trade and Cedar streets when a suspect struck him in the head with a glass bottle from behind, according to a crime alert posted on the university’s website.

The suspect fled after he took money from the student, officials said. The student described the suspect as a Hispanic male who wore a white T-shirt with a flag on it.

In one of the April cases, three armed men instructed two students to lie on the ground before they robbed them. Then a female student was robbed when a man with a gun demanded her purse after he stepped from behind bushes along West Trade Street. Days later, a man shoved a gun into another student’s stomach and demanded money. The victim gave the suspect his cellphone instead.

In response to the robberies, the university said it would assign a full-time officer to watch over the campus all night.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police and campus security are investigating the incident. No arrests have been made.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police Capt. Jeff Estes said Sunday’s incident was the first robbery of a student in the area since April.

Police increased their patrols around the campus months ago, and they’ve continued making their rounds in the area, Estes said.

“It’s an issue, particularly if you’re a parent with a student there,” Estes said. “We’re vigilant and working the case really hard.”

Read more: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/09/14/2608647/jwu-student-says-he-was-robbed.html#ixzz1XzJHeDqv

CMPD Looking For Man Who Robbed a Family Dollar

Armed Robbery is Latest in Brazen Daylight Hold-Ups!

By NewsChannel 36 Staff / www.wcnc.com – September 13, 2011

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Police are searching for a man who robbed a Family Dollar Sunday evening in Charlotte.

 

It happened at 4724 Kimmerly Glen Lane at about 6 p.m.

According to the police report, a clerk at the store was working at the cash register when a black male walked up to the counter, lifted up his shirt and pulled out a gun.

The suspect told the clerk, “give me the big bills” and then took the money from the clerk and walked out of the store.

The man police are looking for is 6’2, 170 pounds and looks 20 years old.

If you have any information or can help with this case, please call the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.

U.S. House Committee Passes Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act

From www.ten8.wordpress.com

From The National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action Friday, September 09, 2011

On September 9, the U.S. House Veterans Affairs Committee passed an amendment by U.S. Representative Denny Rehberg (R-Mont.) as a part of a larger piece of veterans’ legislation.  The Veterans Second Amendment Protection Act, which was added to H.R.2349 as an amendment, would provide individuals receiving veterans’ benefits with added protection against loss of the right to possess firearms due to mental health decisions.  Currently, when a person has a fiduciary appointed to handle his or her veterans’ benefits, the federal government considers that person to have been “adjudicated as a mental defective” and therefore prohibited from possessing firearms.  The injustice of this process has long been criticized both by NRA and by veterans’ groups.  The current system disarms veterans and others receiving benefits based on a totally administrative process and without requiring any finding that the person poses a danger to himself or herself or to anyone else.  Earlier steps to fix this situation were made in the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007, which required federal agencies that make mental “adjudications” to provide processes under which those affected can apply for “relief from disabilities.”  The NRA-backed amendment (also supported by major veterans’ groups such as the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars) would provide that for purposes of the firearm prohibition, a person subject to a mental health decision by the VA would not be considered “adjudicated as a mental defective” without a court finding that the person is dangerous.  “Members of our Armed Forces who risked life and limb in defense of country are being denied their Second Amendment freedom simply because they’ve been appointed a fiduciary by the Department of Veteran Affairs to handle their financial affairs.  These are good, honest men and women.  They are not a danger to themselves, or to others, and it is wrong to deny them their constitutional freedom,” said NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris W. Cox.  ”Rep. Rehberg’s bill addresses this issue and rightly ensures that veterans and their family members aren’t prohibited from having guns unless they’ve been found to be dangerous. NRA would like to thank Rep. Rehberg for his leadership on this important measure.”

Hearing Scheduled for H.R. 822, The National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2012

From www.ten8.wordpress.com

From www.buckeyefirearms.org / September 12, 2011

For months we have been reporting on a critically important bill: H.R. 822 the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011. This vital NRA-backed legislation, introduced earlier this year by Congressmen Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.) and Heath Shuler (D-N.C.) will enable millions of permit holders to exercise their right to self-defense while traveling outside their home states.

Thanks to much hard work and action taken by NRA and our members, H.R. 822 has now garnered 242 cosponsors in the U.S. House. On Tuesday, September 13, the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security will hold a hearing on the bill.

There is currently only one state (Illinois) that has no clear legal way for individuals to carry concealed firearms for self-defense. Forty states have permit systems that make it possible for any law-abiding person to obtain a permit, while most of the others have discretionary permit systems. (Vermont has never required a permit.)