Apartment complex is crime central in Southern Pines

"The majority of our violent crime does take place in this particular community," said Robert Temme, the chief of police, of Brookside Park Apartments.

Officers are called to the Richards Street complex about 1,700 times a year, an average of four times a day, Temme said.

Efforts to work with apartment management have not improved the situation, so Temme has called a meeting with the public for June 6. He'll ask Brookside Park residents and neighbors to help him gather information for a potential lawsuit against the management company.

WRAL News left messages with the apartment offices and with the owners in California, but neither of those calls was returned.

"It's been three years to this point, and we're ready to move forward, and we hope to get some very good, positive feedback," Temme said.

Only one resident would talk about the problem Friday with WRAL News, and she didn't want to give her name. She said she is ready to see change.

"There's so much crime it's not even safe to come out at night to walk to your car," she said.

The woman, who has lived at Brookside Park for 10 years, said she worries especially about the children in the community.  

The public meeting is June 6 at 6 p.m. at the National Guard Armory, 500 W. Morganton Road.