The COVID-19 pandemic has altered the way most Canadians shop. Now more than ever, residents are turning to online retailers such as Amazon for their essential and recreational purchases, in an effort to stay safe and avoid in-person shopping. Many condominium security desks are now receiving 100 or more packages per day as a result, and this has led to a dramatic increase in parcel thefts—with 1 in 4 Canadians having been a victim of the practice as of December 2020 (finder.com).
Fortunately, there are a number of actionable steps Property Managers and Strata Managers can take to prevent package theft. Security expert Michael Fenton, GardaWorld’s Regional Security Consultant and a Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design Specialist with more than 40 years of experience under his belt, reveals 5 important tips for reducing and preventing parcel theft in condominiums.
1. Keep the lobby doors on FOB or card access 24/7
Keeping the outer or inner lobby doors on FOB or card access round the clock is a smart way to keep tabs on who is coming and going from the building at any particular time. “This will make it more difficult for non-residents with no FOB to enter, and will draw the concierge’s attention to the individual coming into the building,” explains Mr. Fenton. If the person attempting to enter looks like they may be homeless or intoxicated, for example, they should not be admitted into the condominium.
2. Set up video surveillance
At many condominiums, packages are simply kept in the lobby on tables or the floor until they are claimed because there is nowhere else to store them. This leaves packages extremely vulnerable to theft. Video surveillance alone will not likely prevent packages from being stolen, proven by the fact that video surveillance does not deter bank or convenience store robbers. However, the presence of a camera may deter certain ill-intentioned individuals. Furthermore, it can still be an important tool for identifying the culprit if they live in the building.
“Video surveillance is highly useful in detecting insider thieves because security, condominium management and condominium board members are likely to recognize the thief as a resident,” says Mr. Fenton. “It is highly unlikely that this offence will get on the six o’clock news so board members should consider posting a video of the offence on their condominium’s social media page.”
If the thief does get recognized as a resident, Property Managers should consider reporting the offence to the local police. While there may not be any serious legal consequences for a first non-violent offence, the offender will know that if they steal another package, they may be recorded and subsequently charged.
3. Deploy a second concierge or guard at peak times
In addition to video surveillance, condominiums that keep parcels on tables and/or the floor in the lobby should consider more security measures to keep packages safe, especially during busy hours. “If a large number of packages have to be kept on tables or the floor outside the security office, consider deploying an additional guard to the lobby at peak times,” says Mr. Fenton. “This is expensive but should only be required until a secure package storage facility is built.” This brings us to the next important step.
4. Build a secure package storage facility, if space permits
Some condominium buildings keep packages in the already-congested security office for safekeeping until the intended recipient arrives to claim their parcel. While this is a good way to ensure packages do not get stolen, it can often leave concierges working in cramped conditions. At times, there may be so many parcels that the concierge’s vision of the video surveillance monitors is reduced, and it can also impact the concierge’s ability to quickly respond to residents needing assistance while they search for a package and/or step over or around them.
A sure-fire way to prevent parcel theft is, therefore, to build a safe and secure resident package storage area. The door to the room should be visible from the security desk or covered by a video security camera equipped with video motion detection, and that camera’s image should become full screen on a large monitor whenever someone approaches the package room—drawing the concierge’s attention to the door. The room should also have a large window, so anyone can conduct a cursory threat risk assessment before entering.
If the door to the storage room opens outward, it should have non-removable hinge pins to make removing the door very difficult. The door itself should be constructed out of 45 mm-thick solid wood or 45 mm-thick galvanized sheet metal, and it should have a FOB reader connected to an electric strike. While electric strikes are less secure than magnetic locks, they are also much less expensive. The electric strike should be of the fail-secure variety to ensure the package room remains secure in the event of a power failure, and its walls should extend slab to slab since it will likely be a target for theft.
For maximum security, ¾-inch plywood should be attached to the wooden framing and also extend from slab to slab before drywall is applied. An internal camera in the package room will also help deter theft, but a sign should also be installed on the door that states, “Video Surveillance in Use.”
5. Use package lockers
Canada Post supplies package lockers to condominiums, which can also help reduce theft. This is how it works: When the mail carrier arrives to deliver packages, they deposit each one in a specific locker, and then put the key to that locker in the addressee’s mailbox. Residents then put the locker key in the mail slot after they have used it to retrieve their package.
While the rising issue of parcel theft can be a challenge to manage without expert help, it is far from an unsolvable problem, and there are clear steps you can take. If you do need support, though, we are happy to help. From front-desk concierges who do parcel management to physical security audits to examine your security program and make recommendations for a more complete solution, GardaWorld has the expertise to help you implement concrete strategies to prevent parcel theft in your building. For more information, contact us here.
