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Jacksonville high-rise fire victims return home, report thefts

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Dozens of people who were evacuated from a Jacksonville high-rise reported their belongings were stolen while they were gone.

More than 200 people had to flee for their lives in December when an air conditioning and heat unit caught fire on the 8th floor of Jacksonville Townhouse Apartments.

Action News Jax asked the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office for records of police calls to Jacksonville Townhouse Apartments since tenants started moving back in on Feb. 8.

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Since then, JSO has been called out to the HUD-subsidized high-rise 28 times to investigate a theft.

“I feel disgusted, tired, frustrated, angry,” said Jacksonville Townhouse Apartments tenant Jimmy Acosta.

Acosta said he told JSO his tablet, camera, sound bar and laptop were stolen from his unit.

After the fire, Cambridge Management told tenants it hired contractors to box up their belongings and throw out items that were ruined by smoke or water.

“Since many residents still have some items boxed, we are hopeful that residents will locate missing items as they unpack.  Management has encouraged residents to report any and all missing items to the police so that the claims can be investigated, and we look forward to hearing the results of those investigations,” said Cambridge Management spokesperson Katelynn DeSart in an email.

Acosta questions, if the contractor threw away his four missing electronics because they were ruined, why didn’t they throw away his cracked TV too?

“My stuff was stolen. I worked hard for it. I’m disabled. I live on Social Security. It’s hard for me to replace all those things,” said Acosta. “This is supposed to be a [HUD] funded building where they’re getting help from the government, yet they’re treating us like second-rate citizens, like we don’t matter.”

Action News Jax asked Cambridge Management what precautions were taken to oversee the contractors.

“Security guards were hired through two separate companies and JSO officers provided 24/7 security on-site between the date of the fire and the return of residents.  The building was locked continuously and access was restricted to the contractors,” said DeSart in an email.

Action News Jax asked DeSart which contractors had access to tenants’ belongings, but she would not name any companies.