Thieves targeting people working out at Ballantyne fitness center

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Thieves are targeting people while they are working out at a fitness center in Ballantyne, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police say.

Officers said thieves are breaking into lockers, and over the course of five months, eight people had their wallets, car keys and credit cards taken from the LA Fitness off Corporate Center Drive in Ballantyne.

“This is happening in lockers where you can’t have a camera,” said Dustin Williams, whose credit card was stolen while he was working out.

Williams said the thieves charged $2,000 to his credit card.

Williams said he had a combination lock on his locker, but the thieves were able to crack it and then relock it.

“Really surprised by the boldness of the criminals doing it over and over again,” Williams said.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department Capt. Todd Lontz said thieves are also hitting other gyms across Charlotte because, in most cases, people leave their lockers unlocked

“We see reports coming from every facility,” Lontz said.

When Channel 9 asked LA Fitness officials about security, they said to contact corporate offices.

Williams said he no longer keeps his personal items in the locker room, but he still worries.

“I kind of even doubt the lockers up front. If someone can get into one space, they'll figure out how to get in another,” Williams said.

Officers said they often patrol the shopping area because of the hotels, apartments and restaurants, but they need the public to help by looking for suspicious activity, since all the crimes happen inside the gym.

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