ST. LOUIS – Just days before Christmas, St. Louis firefighters are among the most recent victims of car break-ins. And this is not the first time they’ve been hit this holiday season.
St. Louis Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson said four cars were broken into overnight at the fire station on Arsenal, and two more at the fire station on Donovan near Chippewa.
He said the thieves stole sunglasses and coins, but nothing major.
“The guys bring their belongings into the firehouse and put them in lockers. It’s a crime of opportunity, but unfortunately, it cost the members of the fire department a thousand bucks a piece to get these windows replaced,” Jenkerson said.
The fire chief said it’s disheartening to know that someone would target a fire house, especially around the holidays, and he hopes the police find the people responsible.
This is the second time the fire station on Donovan has been hit this month. On Dec. 2, vandals smashed the windows of multiple vehicles in that parking lot.
The chief said first responders are here to help the community and now find themselves the victims.
“We are looking into some cameras to monitor the properties. It’s a shame that we have to go to that length, that effort, and that expense to protect the firefighters that are there to protect our citizens,” Jenkerson said.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department is investigating the break-ins.
