CHARLOTTE, N.C. — There’s been a staggering increase in 911 calls at SouthPark Mall this Christmas season.
But the statistics may represent a good thing for shoppers.
A Channel 9 investigation found 911 calls have more than doubled for SouthPark Mall this holiday season.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department statistics show that from Dec. 1 to Dec. 20 in 2016, 911 was called 117 times. This year, during the same time frame, 911 was called 290 times, an increase of 148 percent.
Channel 9 compared the same time period at Northlake Mall and found only a 12 percent increase.
Channel 9 asked about Concord Mills Shopping Center, but Concord police were not able to immediately provide statistics.
Channel 9’s analysis of the 911 call data for Southpark Mall found the call increase may reflect a crackdown on shoplifting and possibly an increase in off-duty police officers working to keep shoppers safe.
There were also no violent crimes reported at Southpark during that period.
CMPD provided Channel 9 with this statement:
“The increase in calls for service is driven by officers who are proactively conducting more zone checks, car stops and answering alarm calls in the area of the mall. There has been no reported increase in crime with the exception of a marginal spike in shoplifting cases.”
“No reported incidents of violent crime have been reported during this time period.”
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