Charlotte Mecklenburg police reported an armed robbery in the 8700 Block of JW Clay Blvd on Monday, June 24. 

A person, allegedly armed with a handgun, stole a vehicle as well as several thousand dollars’ worth of cash and personal belongings from an individual in the parking lot of Fitness Connection near UNC Charlotte. 

While it is not clear if a suspect has been captured in connection to the robbery, once apprehended, the suspect will face charges including simple assault, armed robbery, theft from a motor vehicle and theft of a motor vehicle.

Anyone with information about this case can contact the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department by dialing 911 or submit anonymous tips online through the Crime Stoppers website. UNC Charlotte students can also submit anonymous tips directly to campus police with the Livesafe app. 

This incident is a part of a growing number of off-campus crimes that have been troubling the University City district in recent weeks. This week alone there have been over one hundred reports of criminal activity within a two-mile radius of UNC Charlotte. Crimes reported include assault, grand theft auto, armed robbery and other miscellaneous crimes; including the kidnapping and rape of a woman at 49 North Student Apartments. 

UNC Charlotte, which has a police force separate from the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department, has recently experienced minimal amounts of crime on campus. As the Niner Times reported this past fall, UNC Charlotte has reduced on-campus crime to near-record lows despite the rapid growth of the student body. In 2017 there were 33 reported cases of burglary compared with 154 in 2010.