The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : High-rises more vulnerable to burglary

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Wednesday, Sep 12, 2007
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Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

High-rises more vulnerable to burglary

G. Anand

Most complexes in city do not have security desks

Thiruvananthapuram: High-rise buildings are seemingly becoming more vulnerable to burglary than individual homes, according to the police.

On the afternoon of September 3, not less than three bands of inter-State burglars broke into four high-rise apartment buildings in the city. The break-ins were almost simultaneous. The burglars stole cash and jewellery worth more than Rs.7 lakh. They are still at large.

From one flat, the police recovered two pieces of bent metal that could be screwed together to make a heavy crow-bar. The burglars had used similar instruments to prise open the front doors of the apartments they raided.

They entered one building posing as guests. The security men at the other three buildings were not even aware of the intrusions. The burglars were in the apartments for nearly two hours.

The burglaries have prompted the police to evaluate the security in high-rises. Security of an apartment complex is not in the hands of any single occupant. A high-rise home owner may often find it difficult to distinguish tenants from visitors.

There are more than 50 apartment complexes in the city. Many of them, particularly the ones built earlier, lack manned security desks, burglar alarms, video surveillance and intercom systems.

The security men are insufficiently trained. Flat dwellers often use them for running errands. Security boxes are left unmanned for long hours. In certain buildings, apartment doors lack security chains or peep-holes. Interaction among neighbours is limited in high-rises.

Most high-rises in the city are largely empty during working days. Tenants often go out without properly securing their apartments or alerting the security. The police said that many object to their visitors being challenged by security men.

Tenants’ objection

S.N. Reghuchandran Nair, a high-rise builder, said white collar workers, senior citizens and NRI families are increasingly opting for flats for better security. This is the first time that city flats have been burgled. Tenants sometimes compromise security for privacy. Some object to video surveillance of lobbies and corridors.

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