Tulsa Woman Says Apartment Could've Prevented Break-Ins

A soon-to-be mother is speaking out after thieves broke into her Regency Point Apartment - twice. 

She said management didn't do enough to stop it. 

Ashley Cook said apartment managers didn't fix her door properly the first time thieves broke in and weeks later, she was targeted again.

Now she said the complex wants $1,000 to get out of her lease. 

The front door kicked in, belongings thrown across every room in the apartment is what Ashley Cook and her fiance found when they came home. 

"We both jumped out of the car with the car still running," Cook said. 

And it wasn't the first time. 

Cook said when thieves broke into the apartment a week before Christmas getting away with a TV and PS4.

The couple said the door didn't shut properly after that.  

"There was a work order put in, we had requested a second deadbolt and we were wanting some long screws put in so it would be much more difficult to be kicked in again," Cook said. "They never did anything."

Weeks later when the second break-in happened the thieves got away with more electronics and Cook's great grandmother's jewelry.
Apartment employees replaced the deadbolt and door frame, but Cook said they left the damaged front door.  

"What can I do postpartum with just a baby when we are home alone, what if someone comes kicking in my door again? How can I fend for myself and my son," Cook said. 

After the second break-in, Cook said management offered to move her and her family to a different apartment, add a chain lock to the front door and put $100 toward her $1,000 termination fee. 

Regency Point Statement: 

Crime is not something that we ever want any of our residents to be a victim of. It can happen anywhere to anyone. We feel bad that this resident was impacted on more than one occasion. We completely fixed their door and lock as soon as it was reported, and alerted our courtesy patrol of the break in so that they would be on high alert. We feel like this is in alignment with the procedures that other properties would have taken in the same situation. 
We offer the early termination fee in our lease to be able to accommodate these types of circumstances where a resident wishes to terminate their contract before the expiration of it. We did also offer the resident the option of transferring to another apartment, that offer was declined. 
With the increase in crime in the area surrounding us, some of the things we have put into place to assist with the decrease and eventual complete elimination is a partnership with the Tulsa Police Department for additional patrols of our property, we have hired an outside security company to patrol our property, we are researching the best security camera options on the market, and we have enhanced our door/lock systems in our units. What we ask from our residents, visitors and guests is to please keep a watchful eye and report anything that may be suspicious activity to our security team, police department or 911 ASAP.