From Staff Reports

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Asheville television station WLOS (News 13) has obtained police data “showing an uptick in trespassing, public intoxication and other crimes in downtown Asheville year over year,” Asheville television station (News 13) reported on April 29.

According to Asheville Police Department data, calls for trespassing downtown rose to 628 in 2025, up by more than 150 from 474 calls in 2024. Calls for public intoxication also increased, with 47 reported this year compared to 39 last year.

The TV station added, “The Asheville Police Department offers a public website where users can track incident locations involving petty crimes. News 13 reviewed reports of public intoxication violations, drug arrests, trespassing and vandalism, finding hundreds of calls for service in the downtown area over the past four months.

“Local merchants say they are noticing an increased police presence after APD launched a new initiative to boost manpower in the downtown district.”

News 13’s “Comment Bubble” appearing after its story included the following assertions:

• Joe.AVL — “If they only included the stats from reports they refused to take or reports that ‘got lost or misplaced,’ the numbers would be vastly higher.”

• Straightup1 — “Nothing but alcoholic beverages around every corner. Bunch of drunks driving... No police within sight pulling anyone over... What do you expect?”

• TheOracle — “Guess the national news article was right after all.  I think the new property tax rates should will put more folks on the streets.”  

• DomBostich9 — “Remarkable that, days after the FOX News report about the degradation of Asheville, a daily trickle of data emerges that substantiates the report. It is what we have known all along: Democrats’ leftist policies fail, and fail miserably. 

“But guess what? We will enjoy watching the city circle the drain and the Stepford voters keep voting D. You made your bed; now lie in it.”

• WindRidge —“‘There’s crime everywhere, but we’re not seeing it here,’ said Robert Nicholas, founder of Marquee in the River Arts District.

“Homeless literally burned down the building next door.”

• DomBostich9 — “You can always tell a leftist by his Ostrichesque excuses:

“‘I know kids drown in pools, but we have not seen it here.’...Meanwhile, five kids drowned in pools on his block.

“They are so nauseatingly predictable with their deflection.”

• liberalcritic — “Asheville, N.C., has a high crime rate compared to both state and national averages, particularly regarding property crime, often ranked among the highest in America for its population size.”

• Commonsenseisback — “Asheville will never get rid of homelessness. There’s too much money to be made.”

• AvlNC — “THIS is the bottom line problem. If all those dedicated to the homeless really helped them get on their feet, they wouldn’t be receiving millions in grants and donations. Then what would they do?”