PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The folks inside London Oaks Apartments in Portsmouth want accountability after personal documents became public.
In a video taken Wednesday and shared on social media, members of the public can be seen finding personal information on documents in a filing cabinet left unsecured outside on the curb at the complex. They said those documents included social security numbers, copies of birth certificates and other confidential information.
Residents also claim an on-site property manager threatened folks with eviction when they raised concerns.
"To have somebody who is the property manager who is causing a disruption inside a community that's already impoverished only lowers the public safety, which creates negative behavior, violent behavior, stress and animosity inside the community," said Darrell Redmond, who runs nonprofit Give Back 2 Da Block and often works to lift up the community. He also has family who live in the neighborhood.
Watch: Full video of residents uncovering documents in filing cabinet
Redmond said he'd stopped by to see what happened after he heard from dozens of residents.
While he was glad when police listened to resident concerns, he is one of many wanting answers from management.
"It was very disturbing. That's a breach of confidentiality. First of all, my mother's information, which includes my sister and my niece's information was compromised and could be out here, as well as the residents. So that means identity theft. Anything can happen inside of this," said Redmond.
He'll keep an eye out for identity theft and other issues too.
"Yes, yes, we'll be looking at my mother's account as well as trying to get some people, if they're willing, to look at these other residents' accounts to make sure they're not compromised. Because this is not just about my mother 'cause my mother lives in the community, this is the community."
TreeTop Development took up management of the property in February. A spokesperson for the company said they didn't know the file cabinet, containing documents from 2018, had been in a unit converted to a security office under previous management. They said a contractor was hired to clear furniture from the unit and moved the files outside.
"To the best of our knowledge, none of the paperwork in the cabinets related to any of our current tenants, as all our current tenant files managed by us are kept securely under lock and key," said a spokesperson.
The filing cabinet has since been removed, but News 3 has no word on whether all the documents were properly disposed of.
"Upon discovery of the incident we immediately contacted the police department who came down and we are working with the local PD on this matter," the TreeTop Development spokesperson added.
