Police investigate rash of burglaries at Mandarin storage facility

Customer: Facility failed to prevent break-ins

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office is investigating a rash of burglaries at a Mandarin storage facility this weekend.

One victim said he is outraged after thieves ransacked his unit at Atlantic Self Storage. Kevin McCarthy said the facility didn't do enough to prevent it.

"I pay good money monthly here with the assumption that there is some security, and then I was advised today that there was no security yesterday. None. Zip," McCarthy said.

McCarthy said officers told him close to 30 units were burglarized over the weekend at the facility, which is on Old St. Augustine Road near Interstate 295. JSO also told McCarthy that the facility is not responsible.

McCarthy said he's upset because there are signs at the facility indicating working surveillance cameras, but those cameras are not helping to identify the thieves.

"There should be some standard of security for rental units," McCarthy said.

McCarthy said his unit was ransacked after thieves pried off the lock and left it on the ground. He lost several pieces of equipment worth at least $1,000. But he said getting information from the facility was almost impossible.

"I finally said, 'Can you tell me if the lock was off my unit? And he said, 'I can tell you that.' I'm like, 'You're calling me in the middle of my work day telling me my storage unit was broken into, and that's all you're willing to tell me?'" McCarthy said.

Despite the presence of video cameras aimed toward the front gate, McCarthy said he was told by both the facility and JSO that no video of the thieves or their vehicle exists. He said he was stunned.

"That somebody could break into all of these units, put whatever they want into the vehicle, and apparently they exited this gate right here and they don't know who did it?" McCarthy said.

Phillip Cope's unit was also broken into. He said he's thinking of a better way to protect his items. That means using a better lock.

"These you can't break into because they don't have enough room and they've got cold hard steel," Cope said of his new lock.

McCarthy is left picking up the pieces. He said he believes the storage unit industry in general needs to do more to protect clients and their belongings.

"If there's no standard on security, somebody should make that an industry standard," McCarthy said.

News4Jax crime and safety analyst Gil Smith said burglaries are difficult to stop because they often happen at night, but there are some things to look for when shopping for a storage facility.

"Is that property located near a wooded area or is it bordered by a wooded area? If it is, it might be easier to burglarize by cutting the fence from the wooded area," Smith said. "No one would be able to see them doing that."

Smith also said it's important to buy insurance and make sure it's enough to cover all the items in the unit. He said it's also OK to press the facility to show that its surveillance cameras are working.

"That's not a bad idea, because they want your business, so you may be able to see it from the lobby, but if not, tell them that you'd like to see that," Smith said. "If they're working, they wouldn't have a problem with that."

Attorney Kenny Spears said customers negotiating security with the facility should get everything in writing.

"If it's not in writing, you definitely run the risk of not being able to enforce it down the road if you do have to file suit," Spears said.

And once a lease is signed, Smith said customers should do these three things:

  • Inventory all items in the unit
  • Write down available serial numbers for high-priced items
  • Inspect the facility a couple times a year 

About the Author:

Ashley Harding joined the Channel 4 news team in March 2013. She reports for and anchors The Morning Show.