Residents living in an apartment or condo take note.
New Westminster police are reminding the public that protecting apartment or condo buildings from theft is as easy as following a few key steps, including waiting for parkade doors to close before driving away or refusing entry to strangers.
“Those are really the big ones,” said Sgt. Chad Johnston, spokesperson for the New Westminster Police Department.
“We all get complacent but maybe just taking that extra second to make sure the gate closes behind you or the door closes behind you. If everyone’s on the same page as you, it makes it a little more difficult for people to just walk in and just have their way in the building,” he added.
Johnston said crime in apartments and condos is an ongoing concern for the police department.
“It is something that we have weekly discussions about,” he said. “It’s something that we have as an ongoing issue.”
Many of the city’s buildings are already part of New Westminster’s Crime Free Multi-Housing Program or Block Watch. Through these programs, building managers or Block Watch captains are given regular crime updates and information on how to protect the building from theft.
“Building managers that are working with our crime prevention people, they do a really good job of trying to make people aware and be extra vigilant when they’re walking out their front door,” Johnston said.
Other tips to keep apartments and condos free from crime include keeping main, side and back doors closed and locked at all times, don’t buzz anyone in you don’t know and change locks if keys are lost or stolen.
Knowing who your neighbours are is also important because it helps to know who belongs in the building and who doesn’t. If someone you don’t recognize tries to walk into the building with you, it’s OK to ask them to either use their own pass or have the person they’re visiting buzz them in, Johnston said.
These tips are applicable to any condo or apartment building – even new ones because while most people assume those built more recently are more secure, that’s not always the case, Johnston said.
“We see all types of attempts of accessing these types of (buildings),” he added.
For more information on Block Watch or the Crime Free Multi-Housing Program, visit www.nwpolice.org/community-services and click on ‘Crime Reduction.’ A complete list of buildings part of the Crime Free Multi-Housing Program can be found by following the above link and clicking on ‘CFMH Properties.’
