South Columbia apartment complex has history of vehicle break-ins, residents say

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Some Columbia residents say an apartment complex located on the south side of town has a history of its residents' vehicles being broken into.

A social media post from a woman shows a vehicle's windows smashed in at what she claims are the Corporate Lake Apartments--located in the 4800 block of John Garry Drive. The post states the break-in happened Saturday night into Sunday morning.

The Columbia Police Department confirmed an incident report was taken in the 4800 block of John Garry Drive at 4:36 a.m. Sunday, but didn't provide further details.

Columbia police dispatch logs show between March 1-Sept. 3, there have been three calls made for larceny to the 4800 block of John Garry Drive and one call for burglary.

One resident, Chase Anderson, said he's had his vehicle broken into twice since moving into the complex. Anderson said the first time it happened was in 2023 after he returned home from a trip to the Lake of the Ozarks and forgot to lock his doors.

"Typically it's like Sunday night...and like I never forget to lock my car but I did that night because we just got back from a long trip," Anderson said. "I don't know if they like plan them like Sunday night weekends but it's always late at night."

Anderson said he most recently fell victim to a break-in in June.

He said in his experiences, he's never had his windows broken in and said he thinks the theft likely only occurred because his doors weren't locked. However, Anderson said the strange part about the alleged theft is what items were stolen from his vehicle.

"I had like my golf clubs in the car which they didn't take which are very expensive but they did take like, I don't know, cash out of my wallet and like airPods and like bluetooth speakers," Anderson said. "So, I'd say just like I don't know, small electronics, just like little high dollar things."

Caleb Distler is a freshman at the State Technical College of Missouri who recently moved into the complex in August.

Distler said he was made aware of break-ins at the properties by one of his friends who had his windows broken in last year, as well as his wallet stolen from the center console. Distler said the issue has made him more vigilant about his vehicle, despite never experiencing a break-in of his own.

"I mean I didn't lock my car at all before before I moved up here and I lock my car every night and I try and park my car on the roadway instead of like in the little cubby so they don't get as much privacy," Distler said.

Anderson said the complex has sent emails to its residents in the past warning about the break-ins.

He said although it's unfortunate, the reality is that people who don't lock their vehicle's doors will be more susceptible to having their vehicle broken into at the complex. However, he said he frequently sees security patrolling the property and said he still feels it's a safe place to live.

That being said, Anderson's best piece of advice for residents is to double check their vehicles.

"I mean it sucks like that you have to lock your car doors or else....like if you're about to go to sleep and you're like ugh I don't want it that bad because like assume it's going to be gone if you didn't lock your car door that's what I would do," Anderson said.

According to data from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, thefts from motor vehicles are down roughly 15% in the first eight months of 2024 in Columbia, compared to the same time frame in 2023.