GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — On Halloween night, Ethan Wright's shiny, silver Ford F-150 had its passenger window smashed to bits during a spree of car break-ins at Wyndham Hill Apartments.
"I feel like it's us by ourselves," Wright said. "We're on our own."
The incident at the Grand Rapids complex, which is managed by AMP Residential, followed a mid-October vandalism spree where Wright's truck had its exhaust cut out— seemingly in a failed attempt to steal his catalytic converter.
"This is becoming a frequent occurrence," Wright said. "I think it's [only] a matter of time before someone gets seriously hurt here."
The Kent County Sheriff's Office (KCSO) says car-related larcenies have increased in recent years, recording 33 in throughout during the month of October, and 443 in 2023 (as of Nov. 13). If current trends continue, the total amount will beat last year's total of 474.
"I wouldn't say I feel safe here," Wright said. "If it happens again, we're going to be out of here."
The night shift healthcare worker says security cameras and additional street lighting could add a "degree of deterrence."
"They've said they can't guarantee our safety," Wright said about AMP Residential. "That's a reasonable statement, but I feel like we deserve a fighting chance."
In addition to the damage done to his truck on Halloween, Wright's fiance's car was hit during Halloween night break-ins, leading to hundreds of dollars of costs for the couple.
"What are we going to do to prevent this from happening?" Wright said.
FOX 17 reached out to AMP Residential with several phone calls requesting a comment, but the property management company did not respond.
