Waldo business owners fed up with car break-ins, thefts and threats
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A group of business owners in Kansas City’s Waldo neighborhood are banding together to try to keep their customers safe.
Those business owners say the “armed” thieves are not only breaking into cars and stealing but also threatening violence.
One business owner said these people are going into the lots checking for unlocked cars. The biggest concern is they say these people are teens and some have seen them armed.
“I had six people on the deck eating at that table, at that table and my car parked like that,” Jovito’s Restaurant Owner Leasa Caron said.
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Caught on camera, in broad daylight. Two people are seeing going through Carson’s car.
Not long after, they drive off. All while customers sit nearby.
“They broke into my car which that wasn’t a big deal because there’s nothing in there, but then they stole a car from City Gym,” Caron said.
A few doors down from Caron’s restaurant, Becky Hamrick, the owner of Bobby Baker’s Lounge said she’s also heard of the problems.
“They’ve been breaking into cars, stealing cars, threatening the customers when they catch them,” Hamrick said.
They say this group of people are teenagers, some have even seen them armed.
“That’s what’s frightening. If they get animated or they get scared, they might shoot,” Caron said.
That’s why these owners are banding together. Finding ways to prevent these crimes of opportunities from escalating into something worse.
“I feel like they just don’t care when they’re threatening people and telling us to walk away to let them take a car that’s a problem,” Hamrick said.
Some of those solutions include installing cameras and lights because an area that’s already dealt with construction slowing business, doesn’t want anything else to prevent people from supporting them.
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Looking at KCPD’s crime map, we saw in the last month there’s been a handful reports of property crime in the area, mainly car thefts and breaking and entering.
Remember, lock you doors and keep your valuables out of plain sight. You can find this information on KCPD’s interactive crime map here.
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