NORTH LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A North Las Vegas man said he is out thousands of dollars' worth of tools after his storage unit was broken into earlier this month.
WATCH | North Las Vegas reporter Jhovani Carrillo spoke with the man about the break-in:
Mitchell Martin, 67, stored his belongings at an indoor Public Storage facility he believed was secure, protected by multiple layers of access controls.
"They have four sets of security that you have to go through," Martin said. "I felt confident and secure here."
But before Labor Day, Martin received a call from the facility asking him to come check on his unit.
"I put my items in there, and they sit in there for a couple of months, and then right before Labor Day, I was contacted, 'Please come down and look at your storage locker. We believe it's been compromised,'" Martin said.
Martin said someone got through the locked gate and facility doors, made their way up an elevator that requires a code, and removed the latch from his unit on the third floor. He said the thieves stole about $10,000 worth of tools he had been collecting since he was a teenager.
"At 67 and at a totally fixed income," Martin said. "I can't replace any of this."
Those tools were not just sentimental to Martin — they were how he made a living. As a senior citizen on a fixed income, he said he is worried about how he will get by without them.
"It's been a total nightmare. Hell on earth," Martin said. "I'm a senior citizen worried about making my rent every, you know, paying this facility every month, and then this happens to me."
Martin said he filed a police report and is working with his insurance company. He said Public Storage has not been helpful.
"Zero sympathy from Public Storage," Martin said. "The regional manager told me it is their policy not to report these crimes."
Public Storage was contacted to find out whether other storage units were broken into, whether the latches are faulty, and how someone was able to get through multiple layers of security. The company has not responded.
What you can do to protect your storage unit
- Make sure you have insurance that offers protection in case of a natural disaster or theft
- Keep a list and photos of all items stored in the unit
- Visit the unit at least once a month
- Invest in strong locks
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
