A note has been posted inside the elevator of my Burnaby apartment building.
It’s from our strata informing us that the building has been violated.
Turns out, it appears to be an inside job. Someone gave access to some thugs who brought along a power saw cut the industrial-sized lock so they could access a secure area.
Once inside, these thieves stole expensive bicycles, ski equipment and other pricey items.
For a second, I felt a moment of smugness because when I moved it I decided to store my bicycle inside my apartment instead of this locked area.
It’s annoying having to store it in my unit, but the inconvenience finally paid off.
But then I just felt sad that many of my neighbours had been violated. It’s also infuriating to think someone in our building allowed these thieves in, either deliberately (for a cut of the take) or by being dumb and letting them in while driving through the automatic gates or the front door.
Nobody wants a confrontation so they allow strangers to come in with them, not realizing the potential consequences – this attitude has also led to apartment buildings being targeted by mail thieves.
This is one of the downsides of living in an apartment, as opposed to a house. But who can afford a house in Burnaby, right?
So the next time you try to be polite to a stranger, consider that you might be letting in a thief.
Follow Chris Campbell on Twitter @shinebox44.
