Tenants at an apartment complex in North York’s Lawrence Manor neighbourhood are raising concerns with their building management following a recent parking garage break-in.
On March 23, police officers filed reports for theft from 12 motor vehicles following a security breach at the apartment building located at 3575 Bathurst Street, which is just south of Highway 401. A representative for the Toronto Police Service said there was no material theft from the cars, but that some vehicles had sustained damage in the form of broken windows.
No arrests have been made in connection with the incident so far.
“When we tried to call building management, no one said anything or got back to us,” said Maria Mayor, a 3575 Bathurst tenant.
Mayor said building management have only spoken with the police, and not tenants, about next steps for improving building safety. She says there have been multiple break-ins of this nature, though this is the most severe.
Mayor said that given the recurring issue, tenants are frustrated with the lack of information and action from building management.
“We want to know how this person got in there,” she said. “We honestly don’t know what to do.”
According to Mayor, some tenants pay as much as $70 a month for a parking spot in the secure underground parking lot. She says a coalition of tenants has formed with the goal of receiving compensation from the building’s property management for the smashed windows.
“It’s not the first time this has happened,” she said. “I need some type of answer. We need to be heard and we need to know if they’re willing to do anything about it.”
Another tenant, Emily Fixman, said the thieves stole her vehicle ownership, insurance papers and a bag of beauty products. According to her, every affected car – by her count, about 16 in total — had smashed windows and similar documents taken.
Representatives for Sterling Karamar, 3575 Bathurst’s property management company, declined to comment due to the ongoing police investigation.
