'They took her engagement ring': Winnipeg apartment residents find suites broken into following fire

The blows keep coming for residents who lived at the Quail Ridge Apartment complex in Winnipeg as some have had their apartments broken into.

Last week, the apartment building at 200 Quail Ridge Road caught fire, with flames tearing through the roof and top floor.

Up to 180 people who lived in the building were displaced and the apartment is considered a complete loss.

Now, as residents try to figure out how to rebuild their lives, some have learned their apartments were broken into while they were gone.

Jennifer Nadon's son and daughter-in-law were living at the apartment and said they noticed some valuables were missing when they were allowed back into the building to get their stuff.

"When we got there and went in, that was the first thing that we looked for was her jewelry, which was taken. They took her engagement ring," said Nadon.

In an email obtained by CTV News Winnipeg, the management company of the building confirmed some apartments were broken into.

"Unfortunately, we've uncovered evidence of several break-ins to the building over the past 24 hours. While we don't know the full scope of the intrusion, it is clear that the goal of perpetrators was the theft of personal property," the email said.

The company said in the email it had hired a containment, clean-up, security and remediation company to watch the building. They said the security company provided a 24/7 security guard and also boarded all broken windows on the first floor and secured all doors on the main and second floors. They also put up a security fence around the property.

"Despite these precautions – thieves were able to access the building even after we increased the number of security guards on the property."

The management company said police were called when one of the security employees saw an intruder, but noted police could not find anyone.

In an email to CTV News Winnipeg, police confirmed it has received reports of "unauthorized individuals" at the apartment complex, but weren't aware of any arrests.

Nadon said a petition is circulating among residents wanting more support from the company and compensation for their property.

"There's a lot of suites in that building, 180 residents. How did they get into all those suites and have time to go through things and ransack suites if there's a guard out there?" asked Nadon.

"I want someone to be responsible for the jewelry that was taken. Cause it's not just them, it's however many residents that were in there that were affected by this."

CTV News Winnipeg has reached out to the management company for comment and has yet to hear back.