Milwaukee Has Seen a Surge in Vehicular Crime. Now, One Man is Taking Action for his Community.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin; a sprawling metropolis with big-city looks, and yet a small community-like vibe. It’s home to a diverse and growing population of students, young couples, aspiring creatives, and professionals who crave the luxuries of city life without the typical off-the-chart city expenses – and the ever-dreaded issue of big-city traffic. Take a stroll out on the East Side and you’ll quickly see that good food, music and award-winning beer are what make up the heart of the public entertainment sector. What’s more, upon closer inspection, you’ll also notice something that isn’t quite found in other growing cities – a real sense of community.

Up and down the streets, you’ll see that along-side the few “big chain” businesses – the Burger Kings, McDonalds and 7-11s, that a majority of Milwaukee’s business sector is comprised of small, independently owned businesses that give the “Cream City” its unique, home-grown flavor. I went to school here for 5 years, and I can say without a doubt that Milwaukee is and always will be a second home to me. From enjoying a cold brew on one of the city’s many fine rooftop or river-side patios and breweries, to enjoying many memorable nights at Summerfest grounds jamming out to my favorite bands, Milwaukee has a feel unlike any other city. It’s big, yet quaint. Everyone you meet greets you with a smile, no matter who you are. It’s uniform, and yet so diverse that even after five years living there, I was still finding new places in and around the many communities that make this city so unique. But, recently, that crisp and unforgettable Milwaukee vibe has come under attack.

This article takes us into the issues behind the recent surge in car-related crimes around the city. Car-jackings in broad daylight; countless break-ins; countless stolen car reports – these crimes have spiked within the past couple of years, and at this point, the lack of police resources and an overall sense of fear have stricken the good people of Milwaukee, and have had the authorities so tied up in these reported crimes that it has become quite a task for Milwaukee’s police force to keep up with. With that, it seems that the future of Milwaukee might be in jeopardy. However, there is still hope, as one man has been taking the initiative to assess these crimes and rally his community together to make a difference and put a stop to the crime, once and for all. To find out how he was setting about doing this, we honed in on Walker’s Point – an up and coming neighborhood that lies just south of Milwaukee’s Downtown district; and, more recently, a community that has fallen victim to vehicular-related crime.

Bryan Garay, a Walker’s Point native, acquaintance and former rugby teammate of mine has been a victim of such crimes on multiple occasions over the past few months alone. He’s become so frustrated with thieves consistently targeting his BMW 3 series, that he’s decided enough is enough. He’s now out on a mission to alleviate his city of these crimes so that his fellow residents can stop living in fear of becoming the next victim and compromising their sense of safety. Bryan told me that the break-ins started in early spring of this year. First with thieves sifting through his interior, and eventually leading to broken windows.

 

 

“The break-ins started getting worse right as spring came around at the end of March/beginning of April. That was the first time my car was targeted as they just went through my glove compartment and car to search for whatever to steal.” But the trouble didn’t end there for the well-known Milwaukee DJ. “After the second time, that's when I reported it to the police and started tagging the police department and county officials to get some attention besides just a call or email. I started leaving my car unlocked and with no real valuables inside but they did break my windows on the 3rd time when I had actually locked my car”.  At this point, most people would consider leaving Milwaukee, but despite his car being broken into 3 times already, he stayed. And the thieves just kept coming by. After the sixth break-in – yes – sixth, Bryan decided that it was time to take action. So, he started talking to his friends and acquaintances in an effort to reach out to the city to have a face-to-face that would be the start of the battle to revive that sense of safety and community that seemed to be escaping the city. After some searching, one of his friends came through and was able to get Bryan the meeting he needed with a County Supervisor.

“What I hope to get out of the meeting is information that I can relay to others on what sort of options are available besides using the police. The police themselves are lower on resources and quite frankly can't handle the situations properly because of budget cuts.” Bryan told me. He then went on to the focus of how he hopes that this endeavor will strengthen his community and make his neighbors come together against crime in their neighborhood. “. Being able to engage the community to be proactive and help and informing them how they can do so, will be important.”

This kind of thing probably hits close to home for many of us, myself included. And its important to Bryan because, among his many passions in life, he loves his 3-Series, and only wants to ensure that he can park it at night without having to lose sleep over coming out to broken windows the next morning. After learning a little more about his taste in cars, it was clear that Bryan is somewhat of a 3-series enthusiast.

“I had previously owned a 2004 328xi and I loved the way the car rode, how it felt not only just sitting in it, but also how the car hugged the road nice and tight, in particular on the corners. I loved its style with that sleek and classy look while also having that edge to it….. Another thing was that the price [for his current 3-series] was just right, it was well maintained and a friend did a car fax that came out very clean and with one owner, so it was hard to say no to with all things included.”

So, a man with a love for his community, and his car is taking the fight directly to the city. And I believe that I can safely speak for more than just myself when I say that we, as Milwaukeeans, whether current or former, give him his full support and we’ll be rooting for him to win the fight. QuickLap will be following this story as it progresses, so be sure to check back with us for updates on this story.