Douglasville fire victims claim thieves stole remaining personal items

DOUGLASVILLE, Ga. - Just weeks after a fire that displaced dozens of residents at an apartment complex in Douglasville on June 12, tenants say they have reason to believe they are falling victim once again.

Residents Danielle Lemieux and Rasheeda Hicks tell FOX 5 that personal items they hoped to salvage from the Douglasville Proper Apartment Complex where they lived have turned up missing.

"What we have not experienced in fire damage, we’ve experienced in smoke and water damage, and on top of water damage, we’ve experienced some burglary issues," Hicks said. "My son’s laptop was missing, he’s had several pairs of sneakers missing, his PlayStation is missing."

Lemieux says the contents of her son’s wallet were among the items she reported missing.

"We went inside, his Xbox (was) gone, his controllers (were) gone and, of course, the money and debit card," she explained. "He had some other items missing from there, so I’m just like it’s ridiculous."

The building is fenced off, but they believe thieves may have gained access through an opening in the back of the gate.

"It’s low. You can’t get any lower than that. You’ve already seen that we’ve lost everything, why would you take it upon yourself to steal what we could’ve had left?" Lemieux said.

Both women say while they’re still on the hunt for new housing, they’ve also had to file reports about the alleged theft with Douglasville Police.

"Trauma on top of dealing with a fire," Hicks said.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation. FOX 5 reached out to Signature Management, the group that manages the complex, for comment. We’re still waiting to hear back.