Police to patrol apartment complex after residents warned of crime

CEDAR RAPIDS - A memo is warning residents about an unusual amount of criminal activity at a Cedar Rapids apartment complex. Now, police have stepped up patrols.

Letters went out to the hundreds of people living at The Pointe, outlining some serious crimes. The memo, from complex management, said the criminal activity was happening in the parking lots with everything from car break-ins to vandalism to vehicles being stolen.

That crime was something Nicole and Cory McBride experienced firsthand. The McBrides live at The Pointe. They were still in shock after someone stole their Jeep Commander about a week ago. “We just bought it, put a big down payment on it and it's tore up,” Cory McBride said. “It was nowhere to be found,” Nicole McBride said.

Authorities found and returned it days later. But the couple said they're glad the apartment sent a warning to others about the crime problem. “We've been here a year and a half and the last three months have been horrible,” Cory McBride said.

Cedar Rapids police decided to increase patrols within the complex, but said the number of reported crimes remains low and at levels they said were typical for this time of year. “In that area we've only had three [reports] in that apartment complex in that amount of time, that's not excessive at all,” said Cedar Rapids Police Officer Melissa Henderson.

Many residents agreed saying they were surprised about the warning. “I think it's going to happen everywhere you go,” said resident Calaeb Hayes.

“I haven't had any issues here at all,” said resident Tiffany Roberts.

Still, others said they would keep an eye out for anything suspicious. “We used to leave the windows cracked, now I'm a little worried about that but haven't seen anything since the memo,” said resident Cara Piersee.

Police told SourceMedia that the three criminal reports in June included one car break-in and two stolen vehicles at The Pointe. Officer Henderson also noted that other more minor issues could have gone unreported.