SOUTHFIELD, Mich. – A Southfield tenant says her apartment has been hit by a string of break-ins — and now she’s moving out.
Shannon Rivers said her Pine Aire Apartments unit has been burglarized three times in the last five months, each time through her son’s bedroom window, which she has now boarded up herself.
“They’re vandalizing and then taking whatever property they want,” Rivers said.
She said each time clothes, shoes and electronics were stolen. Rivers is a single mom and says she works overnight for a pharmaceutical company.
After the first break-in, she said someone called the leasing office claiming to be her ex-boyfriend and saying they broke in to retrieve belongings. Southfield police said the caller used a fake name and a phone number tied to a spoof account.
Rivers said the most recent break-in happened Monday, when she said the burglar stole a safe containing personal documents.
“If someone sees this and if they know anything, if we please could have our safe back,” she said. “There’s things in there that we need that are very important. No questions asked.”
Rivers said she believes the burglar cut themselves on glass during the break-in, saying police found a bloody towel in her bathroom.
She’s no longer living at the apartment and is currently staying with a relative.
“I get the shakes every time I come in here,” she said. ”I don’t like to come alone.”
Rivers said apartment management has not offered help and that there are no security cameras on the property.
When asked why cameras have not been installed, an employee at the leasing office told Local 4 it’s up to the landlord, adding the landlord has declined to install cameras “at this time.”
Local 4 also called the property manager twice during business hours and left voicemails, but did not receive a call back Thursday evening.
Rivers said she wants accountability.
“If we are paying, we deserve to feel safe,” she said. “Our property deserves to be here when we come home.”
Anyone with information about the break-ins is asked to contact the Southfield Police Department or leave a tip anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP.