Protecting your property in apartment car parks

Theft from apartment carparks

As more and more people embracing high-rise living, thefts from basement car parks are increasing.

While it’s super convenient to have enclosed parking and a lockable storage cage in your building, don’t automatically assume your car, bike, scooter or other belongings are safe from crime. While apartment car parks often seem secure, they can be fairly easy for pedestrians or even other vehicles to get into.

It’s important to avoid becoming complacent and make sure that anything you store in your car parking area is as secure as possible. All it takes is a few simple steps.

Be alert for tailgaters

• When entering or leaving the car park, don’t let another car or pedestrian get in. Stop and look around you to see if there’s anyone else about.
• When driving into or out of the car park, check your mirrors to make sure no-one has snuck in after you and wait on the driveway until the door closes securely behind you.
• Don’t allow anyone follow you into the car park unless you’re absolutely 100% sure they’re a resident.
• Don’t let strangers into the building, even if they claim to be “locked out”.
• Make sure security gates are fully closed and that access doors, such as fire escapes, aren’t left open or propped open.
• If someone follows you into the car park and you don’t know them, or you see someone acting suspicious, call Triple Zero (immediately) to report it to police.
• Keep an eye out for people who aren’t normally around the building – say hello to anyone you don’t recognize to let them know they’ve been noticed.

Lock your vehicle and remove any valuables

• Always lock your vehicle, including all windows, doors and the boot. Make sure your windows are fully closed.
• Remove all your valuables and possessions from your vehicle, before leaving it, including any loose coins, your garage remote, fob or swipe card, your wallet or handbag, and your GPS.
• Keep your keys or car fob with you at all times and hide them from out of sight in your home.
• Secure your number plates, with tamper resistant, anti-theft, one-way screws. You can get them from one of our safe plate events, your local police station or buy them from most hardware stores.

Protect your bike and record its details

• Lock your bicycle, motorbike or scooter securely to parking infrastructure or solid fixed point within the parking area.
• Secure the handles with a steering and/or ignition lock and use a manual locking device such as an alarmed disk, D lock or strong, thick chain and padlock.
• Record the serial number of your bicycle and any identifying features. Register it for free with Property Vault, so that if it’s stolen, you have a better chance of being reunited with it.

Secure your storage cage

• Line the inside of your storage cage with a tarp, plastic sheeting, heavy-duty shade cloth or even a shower curtain so thieves can’t see what’s inside. Be sure to cover the top as well.
• Don’t store valuable, precious or sentimental items in your storage cage.
• Invest in a good quality, steel lock for your storage cage, potentially one fitted with an alarm. They’re more expensive, but generally much harder to penetrate with bolt cutters.