condo security

macrider

macrider

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I am not familiar with condo living and am just curious about this.
Do all condos have 1-2 security guards in the front lobby?
What do they do? are they sleeping during the night when they are supposed to be watching the monitors and questioning anyone driving into the underground with a van or truck?
Are they not getting paid thru the maintenance fees of the condo owners to do their jobs?
It just seems ridiculous that its happening almost daily now to someone on GTAM.
 
Everyone in a condo should write a letter to their management/security firm, explaining that there has been an increasingly high rate of motorcycle thefts from condo's around the area, and ask kindly for them to take extra precautions or be more vigilant.

Then, if it happens to you, accuse the condo management of being in on it, slander them in "condo review" and play private investigator into their lives.
 
macrider said:
I am not familiar with condo living and am just curious about this.
Do all condos have 1-2 security guards in the front lobby?
What do they do? are they sleeping during the night when they are supposed to be watching the monitors and questioning anyone driving into the underground with a van or truck?
Are they not getting paid thru the maintenance fees of the condo owners to do their jobs?
It just seems ridiculous that its happening almost daily now to someone on GTAM.
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The age old saying, you get what you PAY for.

Do you think Security Guards would be more diligent if they were receiving similar wages to those of a police officer? Absolutely! Instead, these guards are making a measly $10.50 an hour and working all odd hours, and are expected to perform miracle security services by the condo owner - the same condo owner who doesn't want to pay any more in condo fees, but wants Fort Knox security.

There are really great security guards out there, and they are few and far between, and are usually at premier sites. But your average condo building? Get real Mr. Condo Owner.
 
Bikes get stolen from my condo. Some of them weren't even locked up...
Every condo has a different set up in terms of secuirty and how accessible it is, both in and out of the parking garages. My condo now has stricter security to get into the garage but like most buildings, it's not that tough.
 
At my sisters condo on Young and Carlton the security looks to be great. Not only from the security guard, but the building itself. To enter the parking garage you either have the remote (resident) or you get a visitor parking pass from the security guard. (Takes the car info, etc) At the front desk, he has monitors with camera's of the garage door, and parking levels. If the security guard isn't at his desk, only those with remotes can get in, unless of course, someone tailgates a car entering.

I am going to the condo tonight, going to ask if they've had any bikes stolen. But even though the building looks to be well secured i still wouldn't leave a bike inside.
 
arazumien said:
At my sisters condo on Young and Carlton the security looks to be great. Not only from the security guard, but the building itself. To enter the parking garage you either have the remote (resident) or you get a visitor parking pass from the security guard. (Takes the car info, etc) At the front desk, he has monitors with camera's of the garage door, and parking levels. If the security guard isn't at his desk, only those with remotes can get in, unless of course, someone tailgates a car entering.

I am going to the condo tonight, going to ask if they've had any bikes stolen. But even though the building looks to be well secured i still wouldn't leave a bike inside.
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All the thieves have to do is just follow a resident into the garage. I would wager a guess that's how the majority of bikes are taken.
 
What exactly would you like the guards to do? Stand at the parking entrance and screen everyone entering and leaving? Condo owners will be up in arms.
 
macrider said:
Perhaps just the vans and pickup trucks should be getting checked?
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It's going to come down to $$ and how the propery mangement wants to utilize its resources. Planting a guard at a parking entrance takes them away from other duties, and hiring another guard altogether costs extra money on top of the regularly scheduled guards. In other words - it's up to the people paying the bills, security can't just decided where they're going to position themselves.
 
short stop said:
It's going to come down to $$ and how the propery mangement wants to utilize its resources. Planting a guard at a parking entrance takes them away from other duties, and hiring another guard altogether costs extra money on top of the regularly scheduled guards. In other words - it's up to the people paying the bills, security can't just decided where they're going to position themselves.
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Ok that sounds reasonable,Like I said in my original post I do not know a lot about condo life in the city.
I live in a house way up north.
So I was just curious about the alarming and steady repeats of thefts of bikes from condos.
It just seems that something is very very wrong and I thought security would be to blame.
Just looked like they were not doing their jobs.
If I was a $10.50 an hour security guard then I guess I wouldnt care either if your bike got stolen.
 
It depends, some have people there just during the day some have them there 24 hours. Many that have 24 hour coverage only have one on at night (1 AM to 6 AM) but the security company has a roving guy that goes from building to building to do rounds.

In short no doubt that there is a FAIL in the parking areas but your security in your unit is still way better than a house assuming even half decent security (I know I have done both a condo and a house), my significant other still has problems sleeping in the house when I am not home. In my Condo I went years not even locking the condo unit door at night...
 
My condo security is ****, he sleeps at night pretending to read his book. Caught him a few times but w.e
 
in general security is underpaid and unappreciated, your damned if you do and your damned if you dont....

as in....check each driver upon entering and exiting (owners will be p*ssed)

dont check and things get stolen (owners will be p*ssed)

as a result the owners will be p*ssed.

I have done security in condos and other spots too, now i work at a hospital, and i deal with **** on a daily basis, fights (psych patient/p*ssed people cuz of wait times) i tie people down to beds for a living. in my 2 years at the hospital i have almost been bitten over 10 times (one attempt in the face), ive been headbutted, swung at, spit at/on, and yelled/screamed at. all this fun for a mere $13.35/hr. unfortunately i would consider myself one of the better security guards out there and i still am treated like **** for all the risks i take.

next time you meet a security guard or "rent-a-cop" dont be a jerk give them respect. and if you ever meet me on the job just do as i say and you wont be face down on the pavement with handcuffs on.
 
If you want 24/7 security you will need four shifts. The security guards I see are usually from an agency so although they are only getting $10.50 an hour they are costing the condo a lot more. If you have one making the rounds and one at the desk you now have 8 shifts. The costs are likely over $250,000 a year plus equipment / camera purchase and service. If the complex has 250 suites that's $1000 per suite per year, probably more.

Do the math and you will see why the smaller cheap places don't have much security.
 
Since I signed up to GTAM i've read about 40 or so threads on stolen bikes. all but one were super sports. of the super sports i think all but one were stolen from condos.

in almost every thread the following things are mentioned - use lock to something immobile, alarm, cover. even those things haven't stopped dedicated thieves. keeping the bike offsite in a storage facility (ie storage locker) is a good idea though a bit of a hassle for the lazy. I've said it before, theft insurance should be more expensive for supersports in condos, that might make for fewer "my bike got stolen" threads. or it might not and it will just mean people will be out several thousand dollars.
 
CruisnGrrl said:
Since I signed up to GTAM i've read about 40 or so threads on stolen bikes. all but one were super sports. of the super sports i think all but one were stolen from condos.

in almost every thread the following things are mentioned - use lock to something immobile, alarm, cover. even those things haven't stopped dedicated thieves. keeping the bike offsite in a storage facility (ie storage locker) is a good idea though a bit of a hassle for the lazy. I've said it before, theft insurance should be more expensive for supersports in condos, that might make for fewer "my bike got stolen" threads. or it might not and it will just mean people will be out several thousand dollars.
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Lisa I like you but that is just ridiculous :rolleyes:
 
macrider said:
Perhaps just the vans and pickup trucks should be getting checked?
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Would you tolerate an automatic mandatory search of your vehicle without probable cause by a $10.50 per hour security guard? How about a cop? I can already here the screams about constitutional rights against arbitrary search.
 
CruisnGrrl said:
Since I signed up to GTAM i've read about 40 or so threads on stolen bikes. all but one were super sports. of the super sports i think all but one were stolen from condos.

in almost every thread the following things are mentioned - use lock to something immobile, alarm, cover. even those things haven't stopped dedicated thieves. keeping the bike offsite in a storage facility (ie storage locker) is a good idea though a bit of a hassle for the lazy. I've said it before, theft insurance should be more expensive for supersports in condos, that might make for fewer "my bike got stolen" threads. or it might not and it will just mean people will be out several thousand dollars.
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ZX600 said:
Lisa I like you but that is just ridiculous :rolleyes:
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How so, i wish you would have elaborated?

I think the point that she makes is quite valid, and i share the same viewpoint. Condo owners appear to be making the vast majority of claims for theft cases - which indicate that they are more vulnerable by their choice of housing, and at the same time taxing the insurance pool disproportionally in terms of the theft rates/claims.

Those who carry the burden of costs, should pay proportionally. Simple concept. Right now, Condo owners don't - insurance claim costs are generally spread out among all housing types in the insurance zone that ratings are calculated for, therefore increasing the insurance burden for all people in that pool, regardless of housing type or security.

Why should i be paying more for theft insurance, while i secure my crap securely and appropriately, while others skate by on my share of the dime because of their piss-poor choice of housing, and an expensive toy stored inappropriately and unsecurely?
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