By james art LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Despite having various security measures in place, such as surveillance cameras, PIN code entry and gated access, a warehouse facility in North Las Vegas has been barricaded by thieves.
“I feel abused,” said Jessia de Chanel, who was the victim of the thefts.
DeChanel said he has leased space at Shield Storage on Simmons Street in North Las Vegas for about three years.
He thought his collectibles, which he had amassed for about 30 years, would be safe in this supposedly safe and secure facility.
“I had floor-to-ceiling boxes full of toys, games and comics,” DeChanel said. But on October 7, he received one of the most shocking calls of his life. The manager of the facility said that someone broke into his unit and took a lot of valuable memorabilia.
“My heart was broken when I opened the door … Almost everyone was gone, except for one or two boxes,” De Chanel said. “Buying comics, toys and games was my escape. I am so scared like who is out to pick me up or take my belongings.
His manager said at least eight other victims were affected at the same time.
The next day, DeChanel went to the North Las Vegas Police Department to report the incident.
“I was shocked to hear from them that they’ve filed about 30 police reports from people involving Shield Storage alone at many of their locations in the valley, not just mine, but you know, many. It was very shocking and they told me Later when they asked the HR manager they couldn’t come up with any records but also with all these locations gross negligence or the culture of Shield Storage that it was an inside job,” said De Chanel.
According to the NLVPD, 64 warehouse thefts were reported in North Las Vegas from January 1, 2023 to September 30, 2023.
Meanwhile, nearly 120 cases were reported during the same period in 2024.
The NLVPD said that while the data is alarming, they are actively addressing the issue.
De Chanel said he also tried to view the surveillance video, but the facility’s manager said she was “too busy to contact the eight people who were hit.”
“I thought it was kind of a bummer that she wouldn’t look at the surveillance camera right away, but I was like, ‘Oh, well, whatever.’
De Chanel, however, said the district governor contacted him after the incident and told him he would look into the matter.
In an email response to De Chanel, area manager Daniel Arias said he visited the site but did not have footage to help clarify the situation.
KTNV
Channel 13 visited the location to try to find out more about the incidents, but an employee at the office told us they had no comment and asked us to leave their private property. When we asked the worker about contacting the district manager, the worker responded by saying, “He said we don’t want to discuss this right now.”
Channel 13 obtained the coordinates of the regional governor and contacted him. He shared the following response:
Thank you for contacting us regarding the recent incidents at our facility at 4430 Simmons in North Las Vegas.
Our primary commitment is to ensure the safety and security of each tenant and their belongings. To this end, we have actively sought to work with local authorities to comprehensively address this issue. Unfortunately, our efforts to cooperate and provide evidence for the suspects involved have faced significant challenges, as local authorities have so far been unresponsive in reviewing the evidence we have provided. Without their support, our ability to fully address and resolve the situation remains limited.
In the meantime, we are taking all possible steps to mitigate the impact of these intrusions. Site repairs are now underway to repair the damage and we are also implementing system upgrades to improve security throughout the property. While we are dedicated to protecting our tenants and preventing future incidents, assistance from law enforcement would be invaluable in identifying and apprehending those responsible for these recent incidents.
We appreciate your interest in this matter and hope that additional attention can help us get the support we need from local authorities.”
Daniel Arias
While De Chanel said storage insurance can cover the monetary value, the emotional value will never be recovered.
“Most of the stuff I get isn’t even collectible; this is for my future children,” said De Chanel.
Channel 13 reached out to the NLVPD about the claims from Shield Storage and they said they will look into it and get back to us.
We’ll update this story as soon as we hear back.
Here are some storage device safety tips:
- Purchase an insurance plan that will offer protection in the event of a natural disaster or theft
- Keep your contact information up to date
- Provide secondary contact
- Visit your unit at least once a month
- Invest in sturdy locks