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Concerned Citizens discuss gangs in Asheboro

Courier-Tribune - 1/26/2020

Jan. 25--ASHEBORO -- At Thursday's Randolph County Concerned Citizens Against Crime Unity in the Community meeting, an Asheboro Police Department member spoke to citizens about gang activity.

Master Police Officer J. Frost, currently assigned to the patrol team, previously worked drug cases as a detective. In that role, he began compiling intelligence on gangs active in the city.

At a previous Unity meeting, a presentation on Project Safe Neighborhood revealed that, in Asheboro, there are approximately 14 active gangs/groups. Of those, research determined that the Bloods are the most active.

Frost focused his presentation on helping citizens identify the signs of gang activity or members, as well as how to dissuade youth from getting involved in a gang.

"In our area, we see anywhere from about two to six people together out committing crimes together," said Frost. Simply defined, a gang is two or more individuals who are gathered together to commit a crime. Usually, they have a leader.

Gang activity can include a variety of crimes, from acts as simple as larceny, all the way to murder.

Stolen vehicles are common, Frost said, as gang members do not want to use their cars to commit crimes.

Drive-by shootings, assault, extortion, weapons trafficking, drug dealing and prostitution are other common signs of gang activity.

Despite years of research and looking into local gang activity, Frost says he has only been involved in one successful gang take-down.

Several years ago, Asheboro Police began to observe a group of known gang members. Typically, members of different gangs do not associate with one another, but the group Frost was observing contained individuals who were known to be in rival gangs.

"It was a group of guys who said, 'Hey, listen, we've been fighting. We're not making money like this. We could make so much more money selling drugs and doing these crimes if we just come together.' "

The gang went by the name PGB.

"Throughout all my cases with them, they were very flashy with their money, they always carried guns."

Frost says they managed to cripple PGB.

"They are no longer in existence. Most of them are in jail right now. Some of them are out of the county. But they are not an existing gang in Randolph County anymore."

To discourage and be on the lookout for potential gang involvement in youth, Frost provided the following tips:

Signs to look for:

--Has unexplained physical injuries.

--Has unexplained cash/jewelry, clothes, shoes.

--Associates with known gang members.

--Has a criminal record and resides in area with gang affiliation.

--Signs of drug use and/or sale of drugs.

--Uses gang style slang and symbols.

--Keeps late hours and constantly breaking rules, curfew and boundaries.

--Carries or in possession of weapons.

How to help:

--Spend quality time with youth.

--Keep youth involved in activities.

--Be a positive role model and set examples.

--Encourage participation in positive after-school activities such as sports or youth groups.

The next Randolph County Concerned Citizens Against Crime meeting will be held on Thursday, Feb. 27, at 6 p.m. at the George Washington Carver Community Enrichment Center, 950 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Asheboro.

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