Jason in Burnaby no longer trusts any of his neighbours.
When he sees them in the lobby, the elevator or, especially, the parking garage, he looks at them with distrust and animosity.
Being victimized by crime will do that to a person.
Jason, who lives in the Lougheed area, says the parking garage in his condo building has been repeatedly hit with break-ins of vehicles as well as the bike locker area.
And he knows who is responsible.
“It’s people who live in the building,” he said. “They either let thieves in or they’re doing the crimes themselves. The way our security system works, that’s the only conclusion. Lots of bikes have gone missing but the lock on the main door hasn’t been tampered with. So it’s got to be an inside job. It’s tough because you want to trust your neighbours and believe people are good.”
People are warned to not let in strangers to either front doors or the parking garage. Sure, they might not like you stopping your vehicle until the gate closes, but better safe than sorry.
“The problem with the bikes is that some sit in the locker all winter and so people don’t even realize they are gone until they want to use it months later,” Jason said. “My car has also been broken into a few times so I’ve had to have the windows replaced.”
There are many ways to secure your residence and reduce the probability of becoming a victim of property crime. Please take note of the following tips from the Burnaby RCMP that will help keep your home safe:
- Always lock patio doors and windows, even when you leave for a brief period.
- Lock your valuables in a safe or lockbox.
- Install motion sensor lights where possible.
- Keep shrubs and bushes trimmed to eliminate hiding places.
- Ensure first and second floor patio doors and windows have properly functioning primary and secondary locks.
- Install anti-lift protection on all sliding windows.
- Upgrade your door and window locks if necessary.
- Keep a record of the serial numbers of your valuables, in case stolen items are recovered.
- Report suspicious behaviour in your neighbourhood immediately to police.
Follow Chris Campbell on Twitter @shinebox44
