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https://www.wral.com/news/investigates/takeover-raleigh-garner-wral-investigates-july-2026/
Social media ‘takeovers’ overrun private neighborhood pools
Residents shared pictures and videos with WRAL Investigates showing crowds of people in the pool area and around the community. They tell WRAL Investigates they believe the HOAs have taken minimal action.
Ben Myer takes pride in his neighborhood at the Edge of Auburn. “It's a beautiful community,” he said. But Myer told WRAL Investigates many of the perks, like the pool and basketball court, are constantly overrun by people who don’t live there.
“These pop-up parties seem to be happening weekly lately. It's between 20 and 50 teens show up,” he described. “We're paying for a pool, we're paying for a basketball court, beautiful development, walking trails, and people are scared out of using it.”
WRAL Investigates requested calls for service at Edge of Auburn. Between Jan. 1, 2025, and June 15, 2026, Garner police responded to 16 disturbances, six fights, 35 security checks and 31 suspicious activity calls within the neighborhood.
Less than five miles away, residents at Trace at Olde Towne are dealing with similar issues.
Through a similar request, WRAL Investigates found that Raleigh police responded to 30 disturbances, 17 suspicious activity calls, 17 suspicious persons calls and 28 trespassing calls for that neighborhood.
More than a dozen people from the Olde Towne neighborhood showed up to share their experiences with WRAL Investigates.
“What happens is you have a kid or someone who will knock on the door, and they'll bang on the door real hard, and whomever is in here they'll open the door, they'll prop the door,” Old Towne resident Deborah Clifton said.
“There's a couple of cases where we have resident teenagers, maybe one or two resident teenagers who are using or getting the fob access and then letting in just droves of teenagers at one time,” Olde Towne resident Dev Mashruwala said.
WRAL Investigates also found at least four flyers on social media for parties or “takeovers” at these community pools and clubhouses this summer.
“It's not a good feeling when you are actually scared for your life in the place that you call home, the place that I spent so much money and so much effort to try and to make a dream for myself,” Mashruwala said.
When WRAL Investigates asked Raleigh police for an interview, the department referred us to an email with neighborhood trends:
Officer-initiated calls for service are up 54%, while 911 calls have decreased.
Assaults are down 50%.
Loud noise calls are down 8%.
Trespassing violations are down 45%.
Raleigh police said officers responded to three calls for service at the Trace at Olde Towne pool that did not result in charges.
“Overall, the available data indicates a reduction in reported criminal activity and quality-of-life complaints, while proactive police activity has increased,” Lt. David Davis wrote in an email to WRAL.