Strata Plan shares apartment safety tips for the “vulnerable” holiday period.
With holidays and the accompanying exodus of vacation-goers fast approaching, Strata Plan is warning customers to remain extra vigilant over the holidays- making sure to keep apartment safety in mind.
While all residences should take extra security precautions before heading off on holiday, Strata Plan is advising those living in apartments to be doubly careful before locking the door and setting off.
With visitors coming and going at a higher rate than usual, the chances of unauthorised persons entering the building becomes significantly higher.
With so many people leaving on holidays, some criminals might see this as the opportune time to try and get into apartment car parks and raid storage cages or other private property.
It is important that apartment dwellers leaving their properties over the break take extra steps to safeguard their property, while those remaining should be extra vigilant over the holiday period.
Strata Plan’s Five Steps to Apartment Holiday Safety include:
- Notify your neighbours that you will be leaving the apartment and for how long you will be away
- Move any valuables in your storage cage into your apartment before you leave
- Ensure any valuables in your car are moved to your apartment, should you be leaving the car in the building
- Ensure any visitors to the building seek access from the people they are visiting and do not simply follow you in
- Report any suspicious behaviour to the police
Suspicious behaviour to be aware of includes:
- People loitering around apartment building access points
- Motorists tailgating other drivers into apartment car parks
- Strangers peering into storage cages
- Damage to common property, such as lifts or foyers
- Finding doors that have been chocked (i.e. blocked or jammed) open
While short-term vigilance is a must, there are a number of longer-term options available to Owners Corporations.
The installation of security cameras is one of the best ways to deter crime and catch those responsible when it does occur.
Strata Plan recommends that owners corporation committees concerned about the security of their building consider the following options:
- Install a combination of real and dummy security cameras on common property
- Install ‘screechers’ in doors that are main points of access to stop people chocking doors open
- Remove loops from garage doors that automatically open them from inside to trap trespassers in the garage
It is important that lot owners in strata complexes think about the community they live or have invested in.
If everyone in that community shares the interest and responsibility for securing their property – both private and common – it will go a long way to helping them create an amazing life space that everyone can enjoy.
If you would like to start a conversation about your building’s security, get in touch with Strata Plan to learn more about your options.
