BATTLE CREEK, Mich. -- Just a week after the fire that displaced 72 residents at a Battle Creek apartment complex, they were finally allowed back inside. Some of them had an unexpected surprise only to find out their homes had been burglarized.
"It was horrifying," said Wendi Ryan, who was displaced by the fire at the Village Inn Apartments." We left without even our shoes on. And now we come back to think our apartment maybe doesn't have that much damage so we can still have some of our stuff so maybe we don't have to replace our entire household and everything of any value is gone."
Residents said that after crews were done putting out the fire; doors to the front of the building were locked, but other doors and balcony windows remained open.
I've cried and cried," said Ryan. "It makes me really sad that they were not more in tune to the fact this was going to happen especially when people called they ask and they were made aware of the concerns."
The fire marshal said they're investigating the burglaries and residents were asked to report stolen items to the proper manager and to file a police report.
