Two Currituck areas show most arrests

CURRITUCK COUNTY, N.C.

Wedgewood Lakes and Walnut Island have the highest number of arrests among Currituck County neighborhoods in 2009, but a closer look shows many incidents there were repeated calls at the same addresses.

The county itself has one of the lowest crime rates in the state, and high-profile violence is rare. The last local murder occurred three years ago.

Two years ago, a man's body was found near Jarvisburg, but neither the victim nor the suspect lived in Currituck. That case fell under military jurisdiction.

Countywide, crime rose to 1,901 incidents in 2009 from 1,795 in 2008, according to statistics provided by the Currituck County Sheriff's Office.

Violent crimes rose to 51 in 2009 from 43 in 2008. Drunken-driving incidents increased to 89 last year from 53 in 2008. Drug-related incidents dropped to 321 in 2009 from 393 in 2008.

"I'd love to have the Mayberry kind of life, but that's not here anymore," Chief Deputy Sandy Casey said.

Currituck County is still largely rural and without an incorporated town but has grown rapidly in population over the past 25 years.

Caratoke Highway is five lanes wide and runs 42 miles from the north end to the south end of the county, bridging Hampton Roads and the Outer Banks. A large portion of the arrests and incidents stem from traffic stops, Casey said.

North Carolina in 2008 had a rate of 474.2 violent crimes and 4,080 property crimes per 100,000 people. Currituck's 2008 rate was 185.4 violent crimes and 2,165 property crimes, ranking it among the 25 lowest of the state's 100 counties in both categories.

In Wedgewood Lakes, a Tulls Creek Road neighborhood of about 350 homes, there were 100 incidents and 43 arrests in 2009.

In Walnut Island, a Grandy neighborhood of about 400 homes, there were 98 incidents and 43 arrests.

A distant third was Carolina Village, a Moyock mobile-home community of about 140 homes, with 40 incidents and 23 arrests.

In Walnut Island, 17 addresses accounted for

45 of the 98 incidents. In Wedgewood Lakes, 22 addresses accounted for 57 of the 100 incidents. A breakdown of which incidents led to arrests was not available.

Of the most frequent crimes in Walnut Island, 23 were larcenies and 21 were assaults.

Most of the assaults are related to domestic disputes, Casey said. Six involved drugs.

In Wedgewood Lakes, 20 were assaults and 18 were larcenies. Drug crimes accounted for 10 incidents.

An address on Bass Terrace in Walnut Island had five incidents last year - two in one day - including a simple assault, assault with a deadly weapon, assault on a female and two violations of a protection order.

"They like to fight," Casey said. "We're committing a lot of time responding to these people."

An address on Wedgewood Drive in Wedgewood Lakes had six incidents last year, including an assault, resisting an officer, larceny, a domestic violence report, and two injuries to real property.

"A lot of it is in the rental properties. The same ones over and over," said Mable Berry, first vice president of the Walnut Island Property Owners Association and part of the community crime-watch effort. "It's been a challenge."

But Walnut Island is safe, she said.

Currituck filed the 2009 crime report this month with the State Bureau of Investigation, which gathers statistics for a statewide report typically released in August.

Local neighborhood statistics were compiled at the request of The Virginian-Pilot.

Jeff Hampton, (252) 338-0159, jeff.hampton@pilotonline.com