Downtown Milwaukee car break-ins, apartment complex warns residents
MILWAUKEE - Downtown Milwaukee's The North End apartment complex is warning residents after several car break-ins.
A pair of roommates who paid to park on the street learned the hard way. First, Willow Bangs said she came out to her street parking spot behind her apartment in September to find her locked 2021 Honda Civic broken into.
"Shocked, kind of sad – it’s unfortunate," she said. "There’s not really any building cameras on this side."
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Bangs said someone took valuables from her trunk, including her dad’s golf clubs worth $5,000.
"I didn’t realize right away because they’re not typically in my trunk. When I did, I was like, ‘Oh my god, I feel awful,’" she said.
Maggie Krebs car broken into outside The North End apartments
When she came out a couple of weeks later, Bangs found her roommate's car had been broken into. Maggie Krebs said her 2022 Subaru Legacy had its windows smashed.
"This is where it happened, right here in the middle of the street. There’s still shards of glass on the ground," said Krebs. "It’s frustrating."
Inside Krebs' car, a computer screen was cracked.
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"It’s almost, like, malicious. You’re not going to take the screen, you’re just cracking it for what?" Bangs said.
Krebs said there wasn’t anything to take except her time and money dealing with the problem, adding that in May, her previous car was totaled in a hit-and-run crash nearby.
"It’s just surprising how fast it can happen, and how many times it can start happening to you in such a small space," Krebs said.
Parking outside The North End apartment complex
Now, it’s the end of the road for both of them – for street parking.
"I’m like, ‘I need a new spot,’" said Bangs. "We switched to indoor, which is $170 a month, which is quite expensive, but rather have that than have it happen again."
Krebs said, just last week, her parents were visiting and saw another Subaru in the area with its windows smashed.
The two roommates say they don't want to see this happen to anyone else.
"If you see something, just say something," Bangs said. "Just keep your eye out and look out for each other."
In its email to residents, The North End said it has contacted police and hopes to see increased patrols.