Wheaton condo owners ask for city's help in preventing trespassers

Homeowners concerned about trespassers walking on their condominium's roof at night expressed their concerns to the Wheaton City Council Monday and made a request that the city split the cost of putting up a fence that would prevent similar occurrence in the future.

Anne Conrad, president of the Wheaton Place condominium at 111 N. Wheaton Ave., said trespassers have been scaling a common wall on the top floor of the city's adjacent parking garage and jumping onto the condominium roof.

In recent years, she said, there have been reports of the trespassers running on the roof, breaking air conditioning units, throwing items on the ground from four floors up, and marking the roof and parking garage with graffiti.

Several fourth-floor residents have also reported seeing trespassers looking down into their units through skylights at night.

"For the city's sake and the welfare of its citizens, this behavior has got to be stopped," Conrad said.

The condo association has received bids for a fence to prevent people from gaining easy access to the condo roof, and estimates are between $20,000 to $39,000 for fences ranging from 4 to 8 feet in height, Conrad said.

Resident Mark McAndrew said the city staff and police chief's willingness to listen to Wheaton Place residents was positive, but he wanted to see more done.

"(The city) shares the wall, they share the risk. Now we're asking them to also share the cost to take the next step," he said. "I don't think any of us can discuss whether or not there's risk. There's risk for all of us."

City Manager Don Rose said the city installed a camera system on the fourth floor of the parking garage about six months ago that has helped in several arrests.

"We've looked at our camera system that's there and talked about doing some enhancements to it," he said.

As for helping the homeowners with the construction of some sort of barrier, Rose said that is a policy issue the city council would have to discuss further.

"It's private property," he said. "Whether you can spend, or should spend, money on private property would be the ultimate question."

Councilman Todd Scalzo thanked the residents for speaking out.

"I do appreciate your comments and the organization in which you gave your presentation, and the tone, very respectful. We do listen and we do appreciate it," he said.