TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — From March of 2022 to March of 2023, there were 56 confirmed cases of burglary at the storage unit facility in the 1300 block S. SR 46 in Terre Haute.
“We went to get stuff out of our storage unit, and it had a Red Dot lock on it that was malfunctioning and could be opened without a key, or a code and half of our unit was gone,” said Terre Haute resident and burglary victim, Jennah Dibiase.
“I went to go look at the unit and the lock was cut and thrown on the ground and everything that was in my storage locker was completely taken out and nothing remained,” said Brazil resident and burglary victim, Kathryn Minaghan.
Dibiase and Minaghan said they were promised their valuables would be safe at this facility, but that has not been the case.
“They have cameras that do not work,” said Dibiase. “You can just punch in numbers and the gate will open so anyone can come in. It is just ridiculous.”
The storage units were previously owned by a company called Red Dot Storage and are currently owned by Storage Rentals of America. We reached out to both companies and neither returned our calls.
“You can’t always prevent theft, and it isn’t something that is easily preventable, but when you have made a name for yourself that you don’t have cameras and you don’t have the protection that is needed, targets are going to come back,” said Minaghan.
We reached out to the Terre Haute Police Department, and they said they investigate all burglaries like this.
“Unfortunately, storage units are vulnerable targets, however, we have made arrests over the years regarding incidents like this,” said Sgt. Justin Sears. “If it was reported, it would be investigated as much as possible.”
Dibiase said some of the losses break her heart.
“The personal memorabilia is what hurts the most because what are they going to do with pictures of my kids, family, and friends,” she said. “The other things that we had purchased together are all gone, and it is ridiculous and heartbreaking that this is supposed to be a secured unit, but yet people can just come and go as they please.”
The victims said that both burglary cases are still open, and no one has been arrested for these crimes.
