LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Residents at a southwest valley apartment complex are on high alert. That's because their properties have been damaged by what they believe are teen vandals.
The apartment complex is located near the intersection of Fort Apache and Tropicana.
On Monday, a notice was posted on several resident buildings. It warns "be on the lookout." Management writes that juveniles from the apartment complex right next door are "trespassing, shutting off building power, vandalizing homes and amenities, stealing from patios and porches, carrying and shooting residents and pets with automatic airsoft rifles.'
The notice also indicates Metro police were notified.
"It makes me feel unsafe," said resident Tachara Harrison.
Harrison wasn't a victim of any vandalism herself, but she said knowing it happened in her own community leaves her unsettled.
"We can't be here all day to monitor who's doing what and the traffic coming in and out," Harrison said.
Channel 13 spoke to neighbors living at the building with broken windows. They didn't want to be on camera but told us they were awakened late at night because of teenagers throwing rocks at their windows.
One neighbor told Channel 13 she fears she may be on the hook for both the repair and a fine for the property damage.
We wanted to get answers about renter liability from an expert. We spoke with attorney Ryan McConnell at Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada.
"It really depends on who causes the damage," McConnell said. "If it's third-party vandals who [have] no connection to the tenant in any way, then the landlords would be responsible."
McConnell said fines and other penalties may be written out in a renter's lease agreement, but generally, landlords are responsible for any repairs.
In fact, Nevada lawmakers passed Senate Bill 381 in the last legislative session which "prohibits a landlord from requiring a tenant to pay any fee for repairs."
Harrison said knowing vandals may be targeting her neighborhood makes her want to secure her home even more.
"I get packages left here and I don't want any of those items stolen," Harrison said. "We work hard for where we live and where we stay."
We reached out to Cushman & Wakefield, which manages the apartment complex where the apparent vandalism happened and Nevada HAND, which manages the apartment complex where the teen vandals were allegedly coming from. They have not responded to our requests, as of the time of this article's publication.
Anyone with information is asked to call Metro's Summerlin Area Command Center at 702-828-9400.
Tenants or landlords who need legal consultation can contact the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada every Wednesday HERE.
