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19 min read Criminal Incident Reports

South Durham Criminal Incident Reports for November 2024

South Durham Criminal Incident Reports for November 2024

According to the City of Durham Police Department’s LexisNexis Community Crime Map, during the past month our South Durham neighborhoods have seen a range of criminal activities and incidents, from property crimes like larceny and vandalism to more serious offenses, including assault and robbery.

The data indicates that residents between Oct. 2 to Oct. 28 have reported:

Here’s a sampling of recent incidents around our area. ChatGPT assisted with the analysis of the data:

Aggravated Assault

Oct. 4

Oct. 7

Oct. 10

Oct. 12

Oct. 13

Oct. 17

Oct. 21

Oct. 24

Arson

Oct. 18

Oct. 25

What Does the Data Tell Us?

The incidents reported from October 4 through October 24 reveal several patterns:

  1. Timing:
    • Most incidents occurred during nighttime or early morning hours (4 a.m., 1:58 a.m., 3:44 a.m.), with few exceptions in the afternoon, indicating a potential correlation with low visibility times.
  2. Location Types:
    • Residential Areas: A significant number took place in or near multi-family and single-family homes, suggesting that residential areas, particularly multi-family complexes, are primary locations for assaults.
    • Public and Commercial Places: Assaults also occurred in high-traffic public spaces like a parking lot (Oct. 10) and a bar/nightclub (Oct. 12), indicating a risk in commercial nightlife settings.
    • Street and Sidewalks: Some assaults took place in open public spaces, like sidewalks or highways, highlighting the vulnerability in these public areas at various times of day.
  3. Patterns of Offender and Victim Residences:
    • Several incidents specify whether they occurred at the residence of the offender or the victim, often involving shared living spaces (e.g., multi-family housing), which may point to domestic or interpersonal conflicts.

This data indicates that assaults in South Durham are clustered around residential areas and public spaces, mostly happening at night, suggesting both residential vulnerability and the importance of community vigilance in open and commercial areas.

Burglary – Commercial

Oct. 4

Oct. 8

Oct. 11

Oct. 25

Oct. 26

Burglary – Motor Vehicle

Oct. 2

Oct. 3

Oct. 4

Oct. 6

Oct. 7

Oct. 11

Oct. 12

Oct. 13

Oct. 14

Oct. 15

Oct. 16

Oct. 17

Oct. 19

Oct. 20

Oct. 21

Oct. 22

Oct. 23

Oct. 25

Oct. 26

What Does the Data Tell Us?

The data on motor vehicle burglaries in South Durham highlights a few key insights:

1.      Primary Locations:

o    Residential Areas: The majority of burglaries occurred at multi-family and single-family homes, with 27 incidents targeting these locations. This concentration suggests residential neighborhoods are the primary targets for vehicle burglaries.

o    Public and Commercial Locations: A few incidents occurred in public or commercial locations, including hotels/motels (Oct. 3) and parking garages (Oct. 21, Oct. 25). Hotels and other high-traffic or transient areas also appear vulnerable.

2.      Time Patterns:

o    Night and Early Morning: Many incidents occurred at night or early morning, ranging from 12 a.m. to around 11:30 p.m. This distribution points to higher vulnerability during low-visibility hours.

3.      Frequency at Specific Locations:

o    Some areas, such as the 4100 block of Livingstone Place and the 2800 block of Courtney Creek Boulevard, saw multiple incidents, indicating repeated targeting of certain locations.

In summary, vehicle burglaries in South Durham predominantly affect residential areas but also extend to high-traffic public spaces, with incidents concentrated at night and early morning hours.

Burglary – Residential

Oct. 2

Oct. 13

Oct. 16

Oct. 18

Oct. 19

Oct. 20

Oct. 23

Sept. 15

Sept. 26

Death Investigation

Oct. 4

Oct. 8

Oct. 9

Oct. 10

Oct. 13

Oct. 14

Drugs/Narcotics Violation

Oct. 3

Oct. 5

Oct. 7

Fraud/Forgery

Oct. 2

Oct. 3

Oct. 4

Oct. 5

Oct. 8

Oct. 10

Oct. 11

Oct. 14

Oct. 16

Oct. 17

Oct. 18

Oct. 19

Oct. 21

Oct. 23

Oct. 25

What Does the Data Tell Us?

The data on fraud and forgery incidents in South Durham reveals a few notable patterns:

1.      Prevalence of Cyber-Related Incidents:

o    9 incidents involved online or cyber-based fraud, occurring across various times and locations such as the 5100 block of Copper Ridge Drive and Gable Ridge Drive. This suggests a high level of cybercrime activity impacting the area.

2.      Frequent Targeting of Financial Institutions and Retail Locations:

o    Financial institutions, like banks and savings institutions (e.g., the 3800 block of University Drive on Oct. 3), were frequent targets. Convenience stores, supermarkets, and other retail locations were also common, with incidents reported at places like the 2000 block of Chapel Hill Road and East Cornwallis Road, indicating these public spaces are frequently targeted for fraud.

3.      Wide Time Range:

o    The incidents span all hours, from early morning (5:37 a.m. on Oct. 10) to late night (10:36 p.m. on Oct. 5), showing no specific time pattern.

In summary, fraud in South Durham is marked by a strong cyber component, frequent targeting of banks and convenience stores, and a broad time distribution, reflecting both digital and in-person vulnerabilities across the community.

Harassment/Intimidation

Oct. 3

Oct. 5

Oct. 7

Oct. 9

Oct. 14

Oct. 18

Oct. 19

Oct. 22

Oct. 24

Missing Person/Runaway

Oct. 5

Oct. 7

Oct. 24

Motor Vehicle Theft

Oct. 3

Oct. 5

Oct. 6

Oct. 7

Oct. 8

Oct. 10

Oct. 11

Oct. 12

Oct. 13

Oct. 15

Oct. 16

Oct. 18

Oct. 19

Oct. 20

Oct. 24

Oct. 25

What Does the Data Tell Us?

The data on motor vehicle thefts in South Durham shows the following trends:

1.      Primary Target Areas:

o    Residential Locations: The majority of thefts took place at multi-family and single-family homes, such as incidents on Bainbridge Drive, University Drive, and Barbee Road. This indicates a focus on residential areas as primary targets for vehicle thefts.

o    Public and Commercial Locations: A few thefts occurred in public areas like parking lots (e.g., Oct. 25 on Garrett Road) and restaurants (e.g., Oct. 13 on Durham Chapel Hill Boulevard).

2.      Time Patterns:

o    Broad Time Range: The incidents spanned various times, with many occurring during late evening and early morning (between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m.). However, a significant number also took place during daytime hours, indicating no consistent time-specific trend.

3.      Frequent Targeting of Specific Areas:

o    Certain areas, such as Bainbridge Drive and University Drive, experienced multiple incidents, which may suggest repeat targeting due to perceived vulnerabilities.

In summary, vehicle thefts in South Durham are concentrated in residential neighborhoods, especially multi-family units, and take place at all hours, highlighting ongoing risks in these areas.

Robbery – Commercial

Oct. 12

Oct. 20

Oct. 25

Robbery – Individual

Oct. 10

Oct. 18

Oct. 21

Oct. 23

Sex Offense – Forcible Rape

Oct. 8

Oct. 16

Oct. 20

Sex Offense – Pornography/Obscene Material

Oct. 19

Simple Assault

Oct. 2

Oct. 5

Oct. 6

Oct. 7

Oct. 9

Oct. 10

Oct. 13

Oct. 14

Oct. 15

Oct. 17

Oct. 18

Oct. 19

Oct. 20

Oct. 21

Oct. 22

Oct. 23

Oct. 25

Oct. 26

What Does the Data Tell Us?

The data on simple assaults in South Durham reveals several key patterns:

1.      Primary Locations:

o    Residential Areas: The majority of incidents occurred in multi-family and single-family homes. This suggests that simple assaults often happen in familiar or domestic environments, likely involving people known to each other.

o    Public and Commercial Spaces: A smaller number of assaults took place in public settings like convenience stores, supermarkets, and even schools, showing that public areas are also targeted.

2.      Distribution Across Different Times:

o    Varied Timing: The assaults are spread across all hours, from early morning to late at night, with no clear pattern tied to time of day. This unpredictability suggests that these incidents are opportunistic rather than time-bound.

3.      High Incidence in Certain Areas:

o    Repeat locations, such as University Drive and Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway, indicate potential hotspots for simple assaults, which may benefit from additional community or law enforcement attention.

In summary, simple assaults in South Durham are primarily clustered in residential areas, often in multi-family complexes, but also impact public and commercial spaces, with incidents happening throughout the day and night.

Theft – Larceny – All Other

Oct. 5

Oct. 9

Oct. 10

Oct. 13

Oct. 15

Oct. 16

Oct. 18

Oct. 25

Oct. 26

Theft – Larceny – Building

Oct. 2

Oct. 6

Oct. 11

Oct. 18

Oct. 27

Vandalism

Oct. 2

Oct. 5

Oct. 7

Oct. 10

Oct. 11

Oct. 14

Oct. 15

Oct. 16

Oct. 17

Oct. 19

Oct. 24

Oct. 26

Oct. 28

What Does the Data Tell Us?

The data on vandalism incidents in South Durham highlights several key trends:

  1. Primary Locations:
    • Residential Areas: Many incidents occurred at multi-family and single-family homes, such as those on Sir Gawain Way, Emerald Forest Drive, and Village Circle Way. This suggests that residential properties are frequently targeted for vandalism.
    • Public and Commercial Spaces: Incidents also affected public areas, such as parking lots, convenience stores, and a commercial office on NC Highway 54, indicating that both private and public spaces are at risk.
  2. Time Distribution:
    • Evening and Early Morning: Vandalism incidents frequently occurred during the late-night to early-morning hours, often between midnight and early morning. This timing could reflect less surveillance or fewer witnesses during these hours.
  3. Frequent Targeted Areas:
    • Certain areas like South Alston Avenue saw repeated incidents within a short span, potentially indicating a need for heightened security or community awareness in these locations.

In summary, vandalism in South Durham impacts both residential and public areas, with a concentration of incidents occurring at night and early morning hours.