When Janielle Nelson signed a lease at an apartment complex near I-15 and West Silverado Ranch Boulevard in October, she thought she was settling into a quiet spot in the south valley. Instead, she says the place has felt anything but secure since early December.
Nelson says someone kicked in her front door, stole electronics from inside, and left her puppy visibly shaken. Not long after, she says, her car windows were smashed in the complex parking lot. Around the property, Nelson reports seeing holes in the perimeter fence and clothing and a knife left near the playground, problems she says have neighbors worried about letting their kids outside.
Nelson told reporters she filed police reports and notified property management after that early December break-in, adding that the stolen items included a television and a pet camera. As reported by FOX5, Nelson says those first crimes left her feeling exposed in her own home.
On December 31, Nelson says, someone shattered the windows of her vehicle and took items from inside, and that broken glass was still scattered in the lot the next day. "So not only was it a violation at that moment, it felt like he now knew that I was a single woman living there," Nelson told FOX5. She says management did repair her front door but has otherwise been slow to respond. Nelson says she has since purchased a firearm for protection and is working with an attorney to get out of her lease.
Security Gaps Neighbors Say Let People In
Residents point to the property’s physical weak spots as a big part of the problem. They describe holes in the fencing and unsecured openings where, they believe, people are slipping onto the grounds. One resident says she has watched people hang around near units and use outdoor electrical outlets to charge their devices.
Similar frustrations have surfaced in other parts of the valley. Channel 13 recently highlighted a string of vehicle break-ins at an affordable senior complex, where residents said cars were burglarized repeatedly and both management and police were pushed to step up security. For a look at that case, see KTNV.
Police Resources And Steps Residents Can Take
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department offers crime prevention tools tailored to multi-unit housing, including Neighborhood Watch materials, safety flyers, and guidance on working with area commands and Crime Prevention Specialists. LVMPD urges tenants to report suspicious activity to their area command, document what they see, and keep copies of any police reports. For details on available services or to request help from a Crime Prevention Specialist, visit LVMPD.
Legal Options For Tenants
Tenants who believe a landlord or property manager is not keeping a rental reasonably safe and habitable have specific remedies under Nevada law. Those options can include written notice procedures and, in some cases, potential lease termination if a landlord fails to fix a serious problem within the time limits set by statute.
Nevada’s landlord-tenant laws in NRS Chapter 118A outline how notices must be given, what counts as a substantial breach, and protections against retaliatory behavior by a landlord. Renters weighing lease termination or other legal steps are advised to keep thorough written records and to consult an attorney or tenant-rights organization for advice on their situation. The relevant provisions are collected in the Nevada Revised Statutes, Chapter 118A.
