NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — They’re working on one of the biggest construction projects in the city, but some of the people building Nashville’s new Titans stadium said they’re being left vulnerable. Several workers tell NewsChannel 5 their cars keep getting broken into while they’re on the job.
One of those workers reached out to NewsChannel 5’s Aaron Cantrell, sharing frustrations about safety and why he and others are asking for more protection.
“You feel betrayed by the people you’re working for, and you’re losing a sense of security,” he said.
The construction worker, who asked that his identity be protected, said he’s at his last straw with the break-ins happening near Nissan Stadium.
“About three months ago or so, we had about 50 cars broken into,” he said. “That’s when the guys had guns, and they have cameras on the lot.”
He said that after those thefts, Metro Police and the general contractor, the Tennessee Builders Alliance (TBA), increased security. However, he said the break-ins happened again just this past weekend.
“Come to find out, TBA wasn’t hiring the security guards for Saturdays,” he said. “Their response to us was, ‘Oh, the criminals must have gotten smart and realized we didn’t have security on Saturdays,’ even though we work every single Saturday.”
He said workers are routinely putting in 10-hour shifts, only to return and find their car windows shattered, their vehicles ransacked and valuables stolen.
“Stuff that’s been passed down from their parents, little personal things — even if they’re refunded, what’s it worth if you can’t replace something that was handed down to you?” he said.
Metro Police confirm that in past incidents, guns have been stolen from some of the vehicles.
“It’s not shocking — construction workers and guns go hand in hand,” the worker said.
When asked whether removing guns or other valuables might help stop the break-ins, he told NewsChannel 5's Aaron Cantrell he doesn’t believe it would.
“One of the cars that got broken into was unlocked,” he said. “They didn’t even check to see if it was unlocked — they’re just smashing and grabbing.”
Despite the frustrations, he said workers remain proud to be part of a historic project for Nashville.
“I’m a Titans fan and love to be a part of it and come together,” he said.
But he hopes the city and TBA can come up with a plan to stop the break-ins once and for all.
“How can you focus on the job if you’re worried about, ‘Is my car going to get broken into today?" he said.
Metro Police said they have increased operations in Lot N, where several of the break-ins have occurred. They plan to move a SkyCop surveillance system back to that lot and said Central Precinct has added an additional surveillance system as part of enhanced security.
Workers tell NewsChannel 5 that TBA does reimburse them for broken windows, but said they must pay out of pocket first — something many describe as a significant financial burden.
NewsChannel 5 reached out to the Tennessee Builders Alliance for comment.
This story was reported by reporter Aaron Cantrell and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Aaron and our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy
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