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UNC Charlotte player carjacked; apartment complex amps up security

By Brittney Johnson, wsoctv.com
By Brittney Johnson, wsoctv.com

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Charlotte apartment complex is stepping up security after a rash of robberies over the past few weeks.

Monday night, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police held a safety meeting with roughly 50 tenants at the Flats at Mallard Creek. The units are filled with UNC Charlotte students.

Channel 9 obtained a log of CMPD visits to the property and found that officers responded to 40 crimes in the area since August.

Students told Eyewitness News that they refuse to leave their apartments alone at night and always let someone know where they are.

"Strictly use the buddy system, we always go together,” McKenzie Wolford said.

Earlier this month, police responded to multiple crimes in the area, including a carjacking that led to officers on a chase and ended in a crash.

Hours after that, three suspects were accused of robbing someone and leading officers on another chase that then led to standoff.

"I just recall being woken up to a woman screaming, screaming for help," said Carla Tierney.

Sunday morning, UNCC football player Uriah Nathaniel LeMay said four people held him at gunpoint and stole his truck.

The police report said the robbers took LeMay’s pickup truck, iPhone and credit cards. He was not hurt.

[LINK: Uriah LeMay Big 22 Profile]

LeMay went to Butler High School and was featured as one of Channel 9’s Big 22 players. Lemay played football for the University of Georgia before transferring to UNC Charlotte in 2014.

Will Morgan, President of Vestcor, the apartment’s property management company, told Channel 9 that the company is investing in a series of upgrades to protect students.

They switched security companies and now have two armed guards in marked cars patrolling the property.

They also upgraded the lighting and shut down the basketball court temporarily to cut down on outside guests.

"I think they're making the right changes," said Wolford.

CMPD officers are adding resources to the area. Police hope to see a major drop in crime within the next few weeks.

They've made arrests in three of the most recent robberies and are close to making arrests in a fourth.

"It's not a good phone call home, it's not nice to call dad and tell him we're paying a lot for no security," said Elizabeth Johnson.

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