Charlotte, North Carolina
Data sources: FBI Crime Data Explorer
Date all data was sourced: 01/08/2026
How safe is Charlotte, NC
Our analysis of FBI property crime stats shows that reported cases of burglary, larceny-theft and motor vehicle theft all increased between 2023 and 2024 in Charlotte. But the latest local police data shows property crime fell overall in 2024, and in the first three months of 2025.
Read on to learn more about how different types of property crime affect Charlotte.
01.
What is property crime?
The FBI categorizes property crime as including burglary, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle theft. It defines these as ‘theft-type offenses’, i.e. property stolen from a victim unlawfully but without force or threat of force. The FBI categorizes robbery as a violent crime, but it’s also included in the property crime dataset we’re utilizing.
Before we get to Charlotte, what’s happening at state level?
| Crime | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burglary / breaking entering | 38,873 | 37,075 | 34,639 |
| Larceny / theft offenses | 157,066 | 154,591 | 149,498 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 20,873 | 28,222 | 27,455 |
Data sources: FBI Crime Data Explorer
Reported cases of burglary fell by 2,436 between 2023 and 2024, while cases of larceny fell by 5,093. Motor vehicle theft also trended downward by 767 cases over the 12-month period.
Burglary
Burglary is the unlawful entry to someone’s property to commit a felony or theft. This generally happens in someone’s home or on business premises.
Reported burglary cases
Reported cases of burglary reached 4,215 in Charlotte in 2023, compared with 4,285 in 2024, according to the FBI property crime data. This is a year-on-year increase of 70.
The Charlotte crime rate for burglary in 2023 was 447 per 100,000 people. This compares with 454 per 100,000 people in 2024. However, new local data from Charlotte-Mecklenburg police for 2024 shows residential burglaries were down 13% and commercial burglaries up 6%.
Larceny
Larceny is illegally taking, moving, or carrying away someone else's property without permission. Though if being taken from someone’s home the person must have entered lawfully.
Reported larceny cases
Reported cases of larceny reached 25,272 in Charlotte in 2023, compared with 25,252 cases in 2024. This is a year-on-year decrease of 20.
The Charlotte crime rate for larceny in 2023 was 2,679 per 100,000 people. This compares with 2,676 per 100,000 people in 2024. But, according to police data for 2024, vehicle break-ins, one of the main types of larceny, were down 10%.
Motor vehicle theft
Motor vehicle theft is stealing or attempting to steal a motor vehicle, such as an automobile or pickup.
Reported motor vehicle theft cases
Reported cases of motor vehicle theft reached 8,102 in Charlotte in 2023, compared with 7,614 cases in 2024. This is a year-on-year decrease of 488.
The Charlotte crime rate for motor vehicle theft in 2023 was 859 per 100,000 people. This compares with 807 per 100,000 people in 2024. However, police data for 2024 shows vehicle thefts were down 8%.
Robbery
Robbery is the taking of, or trying to take, something valuable from another person using force, threats, or intimidation.
Reported robbery cases
Reported cases of robbery reached 1,251 in Charlotte in 2023, compared with 1,307 cases in 2024. This is a year-on-year increase of 57.
The Charlotte crime rate for robbery in 2023 was 133 per 100,000 people. This compares with 139 per 100,000 people in 2024. However, in 2024, Charlotte police data showed robberies were up 5%.
Between March 2020 and December 2023, we can see a total of:
96,719
total larcenies in Charlotte
Data sources: FBI Crime Data Explorer
33,903
accounted for auto
26,812
accounted for other
21,576
accounted for shoplifting
8,022
accounted for auto accessories
3,645
accounted from buildings
1,566
accounted from bicycles
When it comes to burglary during that same three-year period, we can see a total of:
16,389
cases of burglary in Charlotte
Data sources: FBI Crime Data Explorer
4,414
happened at residences during the day
3,535
happened at residences at night
3,894
happened at non-residences during the day
4,546
happened at non-residences at night
The impact of being a victim in property crime
How is property crime affecting people in Charlotte?
But whether you’re living in Uptown, out in Ballantyne or even Matthews, you’ll likely be concerned about keeping your home secure. So, how common are crimes like burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft in Charlotte, and are they rising or falling? We compared FBI data from 2023 and 2024 to get the answers.
02.
How Charlotte Police Department is Working to Prevent Property Crime
Want to know more about Charlotte crime news and general police safety measures to tackle crime in your neighborhood? We’ve grouped some some recent initiatives from the Charlotte Police.
Crime Prevention Unit
Want to know more about Charlotte crime news and general police safety measures to tackle crime in your neighborhood? We’ve grouped some recent initiatives from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police.
Crime Prevention Unit
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) has a dedicated Crime Prevention Unit focused on building partnerships with the local community. It works with local government agencies and the Neighborhood Watch Program to reduce property crime.
Connect Charlotte
Local residents and businesses are invited to add their home security cameras to a city-wide network monitored by police as part of the Connect Charlotte initiative. So far 1,9000 cameras have been added to the network, according to a police news release.
Drones as First Responders
Another new initiative is the launching of drones as first responders to help provide an aerial view of a situation while officers respond to the call. The drones are sent ahead of the officers to scope the scene.
SCARLET Targets Car Thieves
CMPD launched in 2023 a dedicated task force to go after thieves of luxury vehicles. SCARLET has recovered 338 stolen vehicles, seized 225 firearms and made 221 felony arrests, according to CMPD.
More Visible Officers on the Streets
At the end of 2024, CMPD increased officer visibility across Charlotte by requesting patrol vehicles display a steady blue light at all times. CPMD said this helped deter criminals from acting.
03.
How does Charlotte’s crime rate compare to other cities in North Carolina?
To give you an idea of how Charlotte stacks up against other cities across the state, we’ve compiled the data for the different types of property crime in 2023.
| City | Population | Burglary | Larceny | Motor Vehicle Theft | Robbery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte | 943,476 | 4,285 | 25,252 | 7,614 | 1,307 |
| Raleigh | 499,825 | 1,362 | 10,088 | 2,355 | 424 |
| Greensboro | 307,381 | 1,471 | 7,042 | 1,802 | 528 |
| Asheville | 94,992 | 579 | 2,835 | 324 | 108 |
Populations data: United States Census Bureau
Data sources: FBI Crime Data Explorer
- Dan Hochstaetter, Head of Digital Customer Experience, CPI Security
04.
Emergency Services in Charlotte
Charlotte Police Department
Chief Johnny Jennings
05.
How to protect your home against property crime
More crime data
South Carolina
Tennessee
Georgia
| Date | Details |
|---|---|
| 9/03/2025 | All crime data statistics updated |
| 01/08/2026 | All crime data statistics updated |
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