Crime Wave Has Brier Creek Residents Concerned

Raleigh, N.C. — A string of crimes over the past few months in Raleigh's upscale Brier Creek area is alarming residents, who say they fear the situation will get worse if something is not done now.

The most recent incident was gunshots outside Bruce Matthews' home early Sunday morning. Police are still investigating.

"It was very alarming," Matthews said. "Very alarming, and something needs to be done."

The crimes have been mostly petty, said Kathi Hunter, Brier Creek's community watch committee chairwoman, but she said she fears they could get worse.

Police confirm more than 30 break-ins as well as thefts from open garages, but until the weekend, none had involved violence.

"It's escalating, and it's escalating to a point where eventually something bad's going to happen," Hunter said. "It's hitting our neighborhood extremely hard, and it has to stop."

The community scheduled a community watch meeting at the Brier Creek Country Club at 7 p.m. Thursday. Some people have said they want more of a police presence. Others say the homeowners' association should pay for a security officer to patrol the area.

73 Comments

WRAL.com welcomes your comments on this story. All comments are moderated prior to publication based on our posting guidelines. Please review them prior to posting and if your message is not approved.

VIEW ALL 73 COMMENTS

This story is closed for comments. Comments on WRAL.com news stories are accepted and moderated between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Latest Comments

How about... get more firearms? Oh yeah, and be willing to use them.

dlb800
February 1, 2008 7:27 a.m.

There is nothing funnier, or more amusing, then dumb yuppies moving into an area, then being suprised when all the crime that is there does not go away! Why, the nerve of that crime!

The crime was there first! Crime has rights too!

Xiaoding
January 31, 2008 5:23 p.m.

"Durham has nothing to do with the break-ins at Brier Creek.'

When did you change jobs and become a detective with inside knowledge of who is commiting the crimes?

gandalf1
January 31, 2008 4:23 p.m.

Didn't they just lose a fight not too long ago to keep the city buses from coming to Brier Creek?

Space Mountain
January 31, 2008 3:07 p.m.

I don't really see the story here, except for the gun shots, and the story didn't really clarify if that was hear-say, or actuall "shots fired" calls or what. The reason why the media grabbed the story was because, like in Charlotte, when you say "Myers Park" or "Dillworth", everyone knows these are "nicer" areas so a crime there is interesting for the media, just like "Brier Creek" is a buzz word for Raleigh. I work for a PD, you would be amazed at what people leave in vehicles and open garages. Last year, IPods were the big item taken. This year, already seeing GPS units swiped. You might as well lay $300 on your drivers seat with a note saying "take me please". It is the world we live in unfortunately. Police can only do so much.

Felton23
January 31, 2008 2:58 p.m.