HIGH POINT, N.C. — High Point leaders met with neighbors Monday night to address concerns about a hotel riddled with crime.
The city said police have worked with management at InTown Suites to reduce crime there, after a murder last month.
During a meeting, neighbors spoke about the amount of crime they see and hear near the InTown Suites.
They said this meeting among neighbors and police is just the beginning. Over the past two years, officers have responded to nearly 1,000 calls to the hotel.
"There are people that need to live there because of some of the housing issues and concerns - but we're not concerned about that. We're concerned about the crime that comes from there. That's what we're concerned about," President of Oakview Citizens Council Jim Bronnert said. "We know there are people that may have kids and they have to be there. They have nowhere else to go and in that case, it provides a great service, but there’s a criminal element and that’s what we’re after."
Business owners were present at the meeting as well.
The owner of Weno Power Equipment, a family-owned business that's been running for over 60 years, said they only started seeing issues in the last two years when the InTown popped up.
The impact of crimes near surrounding businesses was another major topic during the meeting. Several people said they wouldn't go to certain businesses anymore because they don't feel safe.
"A lot of times, if you have people hanging around outside your business, although they're wanting help, you know, if customers come in and they see that outside and someone's constantly coming up to them and asking them, 'Can you help me out?' That deters people. Which, just as we heard tonight from many of the homeowners and citizens living here with the other businesses [near InTown Suites]," resident and owner of Weno Power Equipment David Jarner shared.
"What about more police surveillance in the area?" — a question that was asked multiple times throughout the meeting. High Point's Interim Police Chief said officers are out there, but it can be hard to catch folks committing crimes.
"Being where we need to be before we realize we need to be there — and that's the challenging part number one. Then again, at night time especially, that game of hide and seek is a lot harder for us," High Point Police Department's Interim Chief Major Curtis Cheek said.
The group discussed possible solutions such as tackling the housing crisis, increasing background checks on those staying at the hotel, and keeping the conversation going.