Twelve families who were displaced after a fire in Hartford on Friday, experienced another devastating loss on Monday.
Residents of an apartment building on Martin Street returned Monday to collect their things, only to discover many of the belongings they had left inside had been stolen.
The fire, which began on the third floor of the apartment, led to the displacement of the entire building. Apartment resident, Fernando Cuevas, raced out of his home after waking up to a neighbor screaming of the flames inside.
When Cuevas and other neighbors left the apartment, they were promised that their belongings would be kept safe. However, after returning yesterday, Cuevas quickly realized this assurance was broken.
“They said that beside the fire, it was going to be secure but they took everybody’s televisions, ac’s clothes. You name it, they took it,” Cuevas said.
Robberies occurred on all three floors of the apartment building. Yvette Thompson lived on the first floor of the apartment and said several of her belongings were stolen during the raid.
“They stole my grandson’s TV, a Playstation 3 and a Playstation 4," Thompson said.
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The second floor windows were boarded up after the reported robbery.
Following this crime, several residents, including Tara Crowe whose children’s back to school supplies were stolen, are looking for justice.
“hopefully they would just turn themselves in because I mean it’s not right. I don’t understand what type of animals would do that. Our children. We already lost our homes why would you take the last bit of things that we have left” Crowe said.
The Hartford Police Department is investigating the crime.
In the meantime, without renters insurance Cuevas and Thompson have been told there’s nothing else they can do.
“the owners of the building said it wasn’t their responsibility. So we’re going to have to go to the state. To see if they can help us with some clothes or if there’s anybody else who can help us,” Cuevas said.
