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"A large part of crime is economics - if people are working and have a home and family to support, then I believe you can reduce the crime rate"... Vincent Frank
"At the end of the day, the goals are simple: safety and security"... Jodi Rell
Why I chose two quotes to start the sharing is, as the subject consists of two rather three heads & reason is a recent (once again actually) incident around me. I am referring to a house breaking attempt, rather than a building breaking attempt in a building where my office is located on the first floor & all upper floors are residential units. This is the second such attempt in the last one year though unfortunately in the last attempt a resident of the building has to face a lot of financial loss due to burglary while this time the burglars have to run away from the entrance lobby of the building only(thankfully)! You might say what's a big deal is as everyday some apartment, office or shop gets broken & someone loses his or her valuables in this city, so what’s so special with this incidence & I won’t blame you. Because we have really become immune, ignorant (Marathi world is Nirlajja) or careless about not just some house breaking but every bad/sad thing happening around us & we feel comfortable to move on! This reminds me herd like living in the forest where every day or another some single deer from a herd is hunted (killed) by a predator like a tiger or leopard or wild dogs & while the hunted one dies in front of the herd the herd just walks away after sometime living the dead behind & routine continues. But then that is nature as the deer are helpless in compare with physical power against a tiger & they are natural food for the tiger while here we are humans & gets submitted to such act by fellow humans only which we call as crime & yet we do nothing about it, that’s why I am sharing this incidence & can’t let it pass as just another attempt of burglary!
And then in present times these crimes have one more aspect & if we want to be at peace which comes along with feeling of safety & security (as Jodi said) we must understand that aspect as then we can act upon in a better way or say deal with crime in a better way! That aspect is lockdown, yes the present lockdown which is now (right or wrong, how & what way I am not judging it) around for more than a year has made many humans go to extremes to survive & one of the survival way is crime. Again this is right or wrong, I am no authority but all around the country crime rate has gone up & when you live in a prospering city with population of the region touching to ten million then you are more prone to face the crime of every kind, is a simple logic!
Ok, let’s come to the incidence at our society as last time there was house break in one of the flats, at that time somewhere between 2-3 am, the single watchman was missing (sleeping) & there was a MS safety gate at entrance which was open & CC TV monitor was in the lobby itself that was broken by the burglars & the cameras were not in operation as the battery of the system has drained & maintenance contract was not in place, so no footage of the burglars was available! This time the attempt of theft happened at 4 am in the morning, a daring move as it’s nearly the start of the day for many such as milkmen, newspaper guy or garbage collectors, so you can judge the daring or the desperation of the burglars! The MS safety door of the building lobby was locked from outside, there were two watchmen now but they were not around (means sleeping) though they claim one was at the main gate of the building & another was in the toilet (again a while lie)! The CC TV cameras of the lobby & around the building were in operation & has captures the incidence though the burglars have covered their faces with masks (officially now). The locking patting of the safety door was cut by one of the burglars in a few minutes, I couldn't see but a metal hacksaw, I presume with acid! And two burglars were seen entering the lobby, fortunately the garbage pickup guy’s tempo came at that time & the outer camera has captured running away four people faces covered & jumping from the rear side of the building which has a nallah adjoining it! The whole incidence must not have lasted more than fifteen minutes but the footage seen by residents has panicked them & I won’t blame as four people can directly break in your building with ill intentions & in early morning & ran away & you can’t do anything about it, this fact can unsettle even toughest of the mind!
Well, here the difference between the deer & we the humans comes to an end (should come in) as the deer just watch helplessly one of them killed by the tiger but we are humans & we can react or say retaliate or else we are fools which even deer are not as they at least stay alert! Now, analyzing the incidence on the scale of last time's burglary, few things are indeed improved such as the entrance lobby was locked & CC TV was in operation & there were two watchmen now instead of one. But the lacunas are, the lock should have been from inside & one of the watchmen should have been inside the lobby, sight of which would not have made even four men dare to break the lock in the first place! The watchmen were clearly sleeping somewhere as they haven’t been seen in the footage in all this time, so there was no check on the watchmen by the society people!
Friends, this burglary attempt incidence can be repeated anywhere even in your society also as the burglars gangs are professionals (mostly) & they study well before trying any such attempt, so if they see during their survey a society is well prepared on safety measures then they won’t ever try breaking in such society for sure as they are stealing for survival & getting caught is surely not on their agenda! And with lockdown after effects hitting the economy of most segments especially the working classes, I won’t wonder about more such house breaking attempts for which we should be ready, is the only way!
So, here are a few pointers I think every society must follow & you can add on as per your respective building’s situation or needs...
*Make a committee for security & safety of the complex. Ask this committee to make a detailed note of existing safety measures, lacunas & improvement.
*Don’t panic as these incidents like theft don't happen as an accident but think calmly & stay alert not negligent.
*Don’t keep blaming builder of your society for poor safety infrastructure as one he has given you a home & not jail as well the criminals also keep evolving while your builder has done one time job. Instead apply your mind to what needs to be done & it’s your home which will be broken not your builder’s!
*Don’t ever compromise the safety of your building, just because it’s a society i.e. common area. Do you buy a car without a safety air bag however posh it may & while you sit inside the car, no, so why think about spending for society’s safety measures?
*Use logic not just technology for e.g. CC TV is a must but its post action & has its own limitations such as burglars wearing masks or damaging cameras. The cameras must be well concealed so the burglars won’t redirect them or damage them.
*Use good quality, infrared CCTV cameras which will cover details such as the face, body marks or walking style of the person as well as the number plates of the vehicles! This will make the detection easy for the Police, post crime. As well check every day some footage so you will know any misplacing of cameras or error in recording happening
*The MS Safety door with a proper bolting locking system is a must as that’s where most attempts will fail. In my residence apartment we set a MS Grilled door lobby some fifteen years back with proper locking from inside with a watchman at night sitting at the gate & in the last fifteen years there has not a single attempt of house break. As well follow strict timings for locking of the main lobby of the building at night.
*May it be a single or multi building apartment, there has to be a single entry exit control to the complex as well to the individual building, this ensures control on movements of people in & out of the building. This aspect the builder & the architects also should keep in mind while planning. If the builder has not given such thought then I will advise societies to close all other entrances & keep just one entry exit point.
*Don’t try to save on security services, keep a middle aged, physically fit watchman with family as such men care for their lives as well as others. And pay them well then only they won’t sleep at night or hide when four five thugs try to break in. Most society’s members buy lavish cars, do costly interiors for their flat but in GB argue over society spending for salaries or bonus to the watchmen of the society.
*Don’t allow watchmen to leave his position for things like delivering an individual's groceries or washing the car of the Chairman or Secretary of the society.
*Provide CC TV Cameras at Lobby as well on all four sides & at main gate of the building, spend from society account if the builder has not done this way.
*Get only MS Safety door (not some fancy door) fitted in MS Frame to your flat’s main door with good quality latch lock as the fancy door which the builder has given stands no chance to the gadgets burglars will be carrying.
*Don’t lock the L-drop (Kadi konda) of the safety door of your flat from outside while you are going out even for a few hours, use it for the inner main door as the burglars won’t know whether the flat is empty or someone is inside. Even while going out for a few days, keep some lights in the flat's living room & roadside bedroom on, don’t worry about the electric bill.
*Never try to save on milk or newspapers while you are out station as you telling the respective agency not to deliver these items can be valuable information for some one! Instead let them deliver & request your neighbours to pick it for you, say please & for that keep good relations with your neighbours.
*The intercom system is an effective tool as there has to be an intercom in every flat as well as the lobby & at the security cabin & no person should be allowed in till there is confirmation from the respective flat holder, this is a strict rule like having a visa at the border crossing of a country! Along with entry of every such person in the register which must be duly signed by office bearers periodically.
*Don’t try to save on electric bills of the society by shutting off common lighting such as lobby lights, parking lights or lights around the buildings, this I have observed post possession in many societies where I have provided ample lights in common areas as a builder. As it’s the dark patches in & around the buildings at night which becomes the hiding areas for the burglars.
*Have an alarm bail at the security cabin & at the building's entrance lobby. You can even think of having an alarm bail connecting to adjoing society’s security cabin as you can expect one watchman defending three four people but some outside help with noise can help for sure at such times. And for that keep healthy relations with neighbouring societies also.
*Make a security audit of the society from some retired police officer or such agency on a yearly basis. Make provision of the safety/security budget head in society’s expense sheet.
*Give identity cards to all drivers’, house-maids & to every working person who visits society for physical work. As well give stickers to all resident’s vehicles for entering into society. Have an information card of all such personnel with photo proof & permanent address etc.
*Keep in touch with local police authorities on a casual basis & display the concerned authorities (police) contact numbers in every floor lobby as well as feed in your cell phones.
*Don’t open the door of your flat especially at night unless you are sure of the visitor you know.
Lastly, understand that no security system is full-proof & can guarantee you a theft free life but at least you will be prepared for any such attempt is what the message your society will give to any gang of the burglars, which will be always on the watch but so will be you also!
*Please do ask or write for any assistance to me or to us
sales@sanjeevanideve.com/ smd156812@gmail.com
A Team Sanjeevani Awareness Initiative
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Sanjay Deshpande
Sanjeevani Dev.
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