Several car break-ins, thefts at same Bay View residential lot in less than 1 week

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) --- A rash of car break-ins and thefts at an apartment complex in Bay View has residents now calling for change.

An apartment near Kinnickinnic and Fulton, at 2867 S Kinnickinnic Ave., has seen several thefts to cars in their parking lot in the past week. Early Thursday morning, residents say several cars windows were smashed when thieves broke in. Last Sunday, resident Jeffrey Albers said his car wasn't working after he parked it in the lot. When he took it to get fixed, he learned thieves damaged his car.

"They told me the catalytic converter had been forcibly removed overnight," Alberts said.

The theft didn't stop there. Last Sunday, CBS 58 also covered a story about a man who had all four of his car's wheels stolen from the lot. He blamed poor lighting and no surveillance cameras. After the story aired, We Energies fixed the light that was out, but property owners haven't installed cameras.

A tenant forwarded CBS 58 an email from Enigma Properties that was sent almost eight months ago on May 1st. It says in part:

We have ordered cameras for the parking lot to help protect and hopefully prevent break-ins from happening to residents. Once the equipment comes in, we will begin the installation.

One resident said it's an on-going issue.

"Every time we follow up it always seems like they're on back order," the resident said.

Residents would like to see something done.

"Surveillance, security, police presence, something to that effect might be of extreme benefit around these parts," Alberts said.

Residents pay to park here and believe their vehicles should be protected.

"No sort of effort from the landlord to heighten security, it just makes you feel like it's just going to keep happening again, again, and again," a resident said.

CBS 58 spoke with Enigma Properties on the phone Thursday night. The said the cameras have been ordered, but couldn't give a timeline on when they would be put up.