Neighbors frustrated with Albuquerque gas station blasting classical music

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A northeast Albuquerque gas station is just the latest business to start blaring classical music throughout the night to try to keep homeless people away.

However, the neighbors who live behind the gas station say it’s a nightmare they can’t escape.

Mark Kotanchik lives about 100 yards away from the Murphy Express on Wyoming.

“It’s constant,” Kotanchik said. “I had to sleep with earplugs in my ears and I could still hear it with all the windows closed.”

The music isn’t even coming from the gas station itself – it’s coming from a portable security tower. It started just a few days ago.

“We went in, we asked if they would just turn it down, not even turn it off, but they said they were incapable of doing that,” Kotanchik said.

A gas station employee told KOB 4 that no music plays from the speaker, contrary to what our crew witnessed.

Kotanchik said Albuquerque police weren’t very helpful either.

“I was like, yeah, if I came down to the headquarters and blasted music, you guys would shut me down pretty quick, but she told me, well, that’s malicious,” Kotanchik said.

Kotanchik says the alley between the gas station and his neighborhood is a hot spot for homeless people, but he says loud music and bright lights aren’t even keeping any of them away.

“There’s a guy living in the alley, so it hasn’t scared him off yet,” Kotanchik said. “If it’s about getting the homeless away, stop selling the alcohol. Or at least suspend it for the time being.”

Kotanchik said the music started playing a few hours later than normal on Thursday, but he still expects it will keep blaring until about 6 a.m.

KOB 4 reached out to Murphy USA about this situation, but we have not heard back.

Officials with the city’s Environmental Health Department say people need to call 311 to file a noise complaint before they can get involved.