MILWAUKEE — Employees attacked, windows smashed, and stealing are some of the issues three different businesses along Capitol Dr., east of I-43, have been experiencing over the past two months.
Employees at all three tell TMJ4 News that a group of young people have been terrorizing their businesses almost daily.
The manager of the Citgo, just down the street from TMJ4 News, said it all started back in mid-May.
He did not want to be identified out of fear of retaliation.
Security camera footage showed the group being asked to leave the store. Employees had witnessed the young people stealing earlier in the month.
“That particular day, they got angry,” said the manager. “They took some rocks from over there, and they just started breaking the windows. They came back again, brought more guys with them, and then they assaulted and battered my employees, and they tried to break the bulletproof glass.”
He turned to the police for help. As the issues persisted into June, he filed more police reports and shared security footage. The young people kept coming.
“We finally had to hire some security when we didn’t really get much of a response from the cops,” said the manager.
That security worked a bit for the brief time they had it, but it became too expensive to maintain.
VIDEO: Workers speak out over group of young people terrorizing Northside businesses
Once the security left, the young people came back, stealing, throwing rocks, and attacking employees.
“We talked to the alderperson,” said the manager. “Their office says we really can’t do anything. Either contact TMJ4 or the news, or get a security guard.”
The situation has gotten so bad that the manager and his employees fear for their safety.
“One of my workers is like, “Hey, I’m not sure if I want to work here anymore, and he’s been here for over two years now,” said the manager.
The manager then reached out to TMJ4 News for help, and he wasn’t alone.
The BP gas station off Capitol has also been experiencing similar issues with this group.
“I’m not feeling safe here,” said Balrender Singh, an employee at a liquor store down the road from the BP.
Singh works at North Port Food & Liquor, near Capitol Dr. He has been attacked by the group for trying to stop them from stealing. They now lock their doors when they see the group.
“We can’t do anything,” said Singh. “If we come outside, they try to beat us again. I don’t know if they have guns or what they have. We don’t know. So, that’s why we keep inside and lock our door because we can’t go outside.”
Singh has also filed police reports and passed over security footage, but the incidents have not stopped. Now, he and others there fear for their lives.
“Every time they say, “Come outside at 9:00 o’clock, we will shoot you,” said Singh. “What can we do? We are scared every time we need to go home.”
TMJ4 News and the Citgo Manager called up the community police officer to see if they had any updates on their investigation but got no reply.
TMJ4’s Mike Beiermeister went down to Milwaukee Police District Five to try and get an update on these investigations but was referred to the public information officer. Mike did not receive a callback.
The manager shared a message for the families of these young people.
“I’m not sure who their parents are, but some adult in their life needs to take action and take responsibility for their kids,” said the Citgo Manager.
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