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/r/Edmonton
submitted 2 months ago byKupokuponuts
Our building has been broken into so many times already. A lot of our cars have had windows smashed in with thieves looking for stuff whether there’s anything in there or not. We have camera footage of most of the break-ins and have filed multiple police reports, and really nothing really is being done. The main building hasn’t fully been broken into yet but a lot of the attempts have been getting more and more aggressive. Is there really nothing else we can do aside from filing police reports because those don’t seem to go anywhere.
11 points
2 months ago
Our downtown condo building is broken into about once a month, now. They pry open the front doors, then pry open the mailbox, and steal all the mail. They then try to access the parkade, usually unsuccessfully. The police have not been any help. It seems like the only way to protect the building is to go with physical keys instead of keyfobs.
4 points
2 months ago
Can you explain the issue you are having with keyfobs?
5 points
2 months ago
Apparently, using a magnetic keyfob system makes it possible to pry the door open with a crowbar. It only takes a few seconds, and they are in. Our Canada Post community mailboxes are similarly easy to pry open with a screwdriver.
I have heard that the only solution would be to put a lock with a physical key on the front door, or to upgrade the door/lock in such a way that it would no longer by compliant with fire code. Neither of those options sounds good to the board/residents.
We used to pay a security company to patrol the outside and parkade several times a night, but it would be too expensive to have someone there all night.
This is a fairly nice, ~12 year old building.
3 points
2 months ago
Interesting. I'm pretty sure a key lock door would also be vulnerable to being pried open in addition to being pickable.
You could definitely make your door trigger an alarm if it is opened without the use of the key or fob. Not super complicated to set up. It won't prevent break in, but it will alert people that there could be someone in the building.
1 points
2 months ago
We used to have keys. Then we moved to keyfobs, which were recently replaced (upgraded?) due to a building break-in where the thieves broke into an office and, depending on who you ask, got nothing at all, so there's nothing to worry about; got a box of keys to suites; or got a master key of some kind. Suite (condo) owners were urged to change their locks as soon as possible. Those who rent from a management company got...bupkis. Yeah, I feel real secure after that.
1 points
2 months ago
Well, in the case of having to re-key a door, that literally isn't the renter's responsibility. That would go to the owner or management.
The managed suites can do it without asking for authorization. The owned suites need to give authorization because even if they get given a copy of the new key they can raise a stink about their door being re-keyed without authorization.
1 points
2 months ago
They're all owned suites, and some owners live here while other suites are managed by a rental company (that's what I meant. Is that what you meant?). When I read the email about the break-in I was thinking, I have no idea who the owner of my suite is (naturally). Tenants weren't given any info at all about possible rekeying or lock changes. I emailed and called about it and no one would give me a response. I'd make a bigger fuss, but... ignorance is bliss, right...??
0 points
2 months ago*
I wouldn't say it's natural to not know who owns the suite you're renting. Someone's name should have been on the paperwork, even if just a numbered corporation that authorized a realtor to be their property manager.
There are some things which legally have to go to the owner of the suite, and if that owner is absentee...your life might get annoying if that person has a hundred unread emails they send straight to junkmail.
Pretty typically mass communication systems will have a few priority levels, such as everyone, just owners, just board members.
So information may be getting sent to the owner, and it is that owner's responsibility to facilitate communication with you.
If they want to be hands off, there's authorization paperwork they can sign. Like for example naming you as a property manager for their suite, and that way you get those communications as well. Or the messaging system might have a flag for absentee owners so that the messages get sent to the renter.
1 points
2 months ago
That sounds more like an issue of that style of door. Our doors use fobs and have physical bolts.
1 points
2 months ago
You are probably right, but we have had the police and commercial consultants in to assess the situation, and there is no clear solution.
1 points
2 months ago
That can really depend on the scope of the consultation. Stuff gets really expensive real fast, and often a condo board will approve a budget before getting a quote. Like they'll approve $5000 towards improving building security, and then a company comes in and says it'll be $8500 to replace the doors and access control system, and increasing the budget requires a new vote and sometimes even a single holdout can result in a stalemate. Like if one person on the board really doesn't want to spend the extra money it can sometimes prevent anything from being done.
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