Security for Apartment Dwellers

Whether urban or suburban, high rise or garden style, apartments present some unique home security problems. First of all, even if you protect everything inside your apartment with a security system you must rely on others to secure the building exterior, grounds and parking areas. Get to know your landlord or building manager and be sure to bring security issues to their attention. Good landlords make an extra effort to protect their tenants because, by doing so, they protect their investment and reputation.

Sometimes, safety is simple common sense. Statistics show that in more than 30% of apartment burglaries, the thief came in through an open door or window. They look for the fastest, easiest way in and out fast and usually carry easily concealed tools such as a screwdriver, hammer or small pry bar. Sometimes, they just use their foot! There are thousands of apartment buildings in cities and towns across the country with old or weak wooden doors and frames and burglars know all they need to do is kick it open. The smartest thing you, or your landlord, can do to prevent this common form of entry is to replace the strike plate – the metal piece that holds the latch in place on the frame – with a heavy-duty plate held in place by sturdy 3” long screws. This one simple change will seriously reduce forced doorway entry, and it’s worth every penny.

If burglars do gain entry they are most likely to grab smaller items that they can quickly escape with. Cash is obvious but jewelry, laptop computers, audio/video equipment and small electronic appliances or devices are also targeted items that can be quickly sold or pawned. The smartest thing to do is prevent being burglarized in the first place, but you can save yourself a lot of aggravation in the event you are burglarized, by following these highly recommended steps:

• Have your driver’s license number (as long as it’s not your Social Security number) etched or engraved on all valuable items
• Photograph valuable items, make a video of your apartment, and/or keep a record of items including descriptions, makes, models and serial numbers
• Make a copy of everything important in your wallet, as well as other important documents, each year

Once you’ve got your photos and records up to date, keep them in a safe deposit box or other safe place off site. DO NOT keep them in your apartment.

Finally, knock on your immediate neighbors’ doors and get to know them. Good neighbors watch out for each other and it’s comforting to know there’s someone nearby you can call in an emergency. You can also volunteer to “apartment sit” for each other if someone needs to be away including picking up mail, newspapers, or providing access to service people. And giving a trusted neighbor a key is safer than hiding a key outside your door where a burglar is sure to find it. Don’t give a theif an opportunity to break into your home.

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