APD will give apartments security assessments - but the complexes have to ask

MANOR, Texas (KXAN) -- Residents of a 55+ apartment complex in Manor said the security gates are still broken one month after KXAN ran a story about a string of car burglaries and auto thefts that occurred on the property.

One resident, Patricia, who didn't want to publicize her last name for security reasons, had her car stolen from the parking lot in December. The police department said the suspects used the vehicle to burglarize a nearby smoke shop.

At last check with the Manor Police Department, a person of interest had been identified as being connected to at least some of the burglary of vehicle and/or auto theft cases, but an arrest had not yet been made.

The vehicle was ultimately recovered, and Patricia said she is supposed to get it back this week -- but she told us she's nervous to have it back in the parking lot because of the broken gates.

A representative with the apartment's corporate owners, LDG Development, told KXAN the complex fixed its security cameras and hired security guards to patrol at night following the issues with the break-ins and auto thefts. The representative also said at least one of the gates was fixed. When KXAN had a crew at the complex two weeks ago, the gates were still stuck open.

"We have a district representative unit that can go out and do a sight safety security check, and they'll go around and look at gates lighting. And then do a synopsis or writeup and provide it to actual complex saying 'hey these are things that you can do that will help this be a safer property,'" said interim Austin Police Chief Robin Henderson. "We've actually had a few properties reach out, so that's good. But by all means, we'll take more."

You can report auto theft or burglary of vehicle cases here.

Are landlords liable for crimes taking place on apartment complex property?

According to the website for Daspit Law, a personal injury firm in Austin, Texas landlords typically aren't responsible for criminal activity that takes place on a property. However, the law firm states, there are instances where there's a chance landlords could be liable for negligent or inadequate security. We've listed those incidents below.

• Landlords don't make any changes after a string of crime
• A tenant supports suspicious activity and a landlord does not act on it
• Tenants report information about a broken security gate, it stays broken for a long period of time, and crime(s) are then committed on the property by non-tenants/non-visitors

Again, Daspit Law emphasizes these are cases where a landlord could be liable. It does not mean they will be held liable in all cases matching these descriptions.

Community surprises senior living tenants with gift baskets after string of burglaries

Pastor Rudy Hardin with Next Level Church in Central Texas wanted to do something to help Patricia and other tenants after hearing the news about the burglaries and auto thefts.

He, Travis County Commissioner Jeff Travillion and Pete Inman with Austin advocacy group Dream Together 2030, met Patricia at her apartment with a surprise.

She thought they were all just meeting to discuss the issues at the complex, but Hardin and the group had something else in store: a surprise donation of gift baskets for each person who had their car stolen or burglarized.

Black Women in Business helped put the gift baskets together.