Condo building security - how break-ins affect association insurance
Posted on Mon, Aug 02, 2010 @ 07:08 AM
We've had a number of security issues over the past couple years at our condo association. We voted down cameras several years ago. Almost a tie vote. We have alot of workmen coming in and out of our building and the doors are continuously left open and anyone can walk in. Even though we've asked that the doors be kept closed, they are still being left open.
I just received an email from another owner that he was leaving our secure garage the other day and three men were standing outside the door looking up at the balconies that store the air conditioning units. There are trap doors from one floor to the next. Three stories in total. Easy access to the back yard which is about 25 feet deep and surrounded by thick trees. Very little can be seen from the street if someone were to come up and onto one of the balconies. This owner described the men "...standing on the sidewalk at the garage entrance. They barely moved aside to let my car pass. They continued to stare up at the North wall of the exterior of the bldg. They did not acknowledge me (nor I them). As I moved out slowly, they walked toward the open door (garage) as if to enter. I continued to look at them but they did not enter the garage as I moved on. They must have driven up on a motor bike (two had helmets) which was parked near the curb alongside our bldg. The owner told me today that three was another strange car also outside the building. He thought they were looking into the open garage to see if there were security cameras in it. We have lots of nice cars in our garage.
I just forwarded his email to the Condo Board and the property manager asking for a meeting concerning building security. I don't think this warrants a special meeting be called by five owners, but that the Board should just call a meeting to discuss. Hundred to one, the Board and property manager will blow this off and I'll never get a response. They've never reported to any of the owners any of the security issues we've had on site. Now we file police reports re this type of issue so that we cover ourselves since the Board ignores everything unless forced to do something.
My question here is: Can anyone tell me the reprecussions to our individual insurance policies and to our master policy if we have a break in or theft, rape, vandalism, etc. occur here and the Board's been notified and done nothing. There have been alot of car break-ins in this area recently. We lock doors both to the car and condo but the walls to the decks are solid glass and would be easy to break into even if the doors were locked.