Many homeowners' associations have set up door phones at the entrance door, so that the door can be locked and people can only enter if they have business with one of the residents. This is a step in the right direction. BUT... There may be pitfalls that make it easy for thieves to open most entrance doors.
It's that easy to open most entrance doors to apartment buildings in Copenhagen. Here you can see the opening of 3 street doors in Vesterbro in Copenhagen.
Exposed street doors in Copenhagen
Denmark is one of the EU countries with the highest number of burglaries in private homes, and gangs of thieves like to strike in apartment buildings in large cities.
The most obvious way to protect yourself against burglary is to secure the doors and windows of the building. The stairwell and, in particular, the street door in housing associations or owners' associations are among the areas most in need of renovation, and many stairwell doors in Copenhagen are very worn. This is because it is often the busiest part of the property.
To increase security, many housing and homeowners' associations have installed intercoms in the entrance hall to deter thieves. Entrance doors are often fitted with a simple electric strike and a lock case with a single latch, so that the door locks when it is closed by the door pump. If the entrance door opens inwards, it can often be broken open, as illustrated in the video, with a piece of plastic or a kick. The door is therefore not secure enough to prevent a burglar from entering the building.
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Burglary protection in housing and homeowners' associations
Fortunately, there are several ways in which homeowners' or housing associations can optimize building security and prevent burglars from gaining access to the entrance.
The streets of Copenhagen are filled with worn-out street doors, which make it easy for burglars to gain access to the many apartment buildings.
Correct installation of locks
The street door must be sturdy enough to withstand attempted break-ins. This can be achieved by upgrading the existing door and frame. A magnetic lock will prevent the entrance door from being easily opened with a piece of plastic, as shown in the video. At the same time, installing a magnetic lock and a security strike plate will provide greater resistance to break-in attempts involving kicking. In addition, it is essential that the lock on the door is installed by a professional locksmith, to ensure that the setup is correct.
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Increase security with a doorphone
With an intercom system installed, the building can be locked at all hours of the day and opened as needed for residents' guests. An intercom is a good tool for ensuring that strangers do not gain access to the building. It is important that the entrance hall is equipped with a good quality intercom so that residents can have a clear conversation and only open the door to visitors with a genuine reason for visiting. Door phone with video camera can, to some extent, prevent strangers from entering the building, as users can ensure that they actually know the people they are letting in.
READ ALSO: Door phones and intercom systems in Copenhagen and the surrounding area
Lock out lost keys with access control
With an electronic locking system, individual residents no longer need to carry around multiple keys to access the entrance door, apartment door, basement storage room, and similar areas. The system makes it possible to determine which doors each key fob should provide access to. The system is managed from a PC in the property management office. This simplifies a number of processes that could previously cause problems. If a resident loses a key fob, it can be quickly and easily deleted from the system so that it no longer works. In addition, if an incident in the building needs to be investigated further, it is possible to see which key fob was used at a given time in the system log on the PC.
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Supplement with video surveillance
Video surveillance is a useful supplement to burglary protection for housing associations and homeowners' associations. If there have been problems with crime, video surveillance can be a security-enhancing supplement. Surveillance cameras should be placed so that they can record video of people entering and leaving the building or staying in common areas.
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Help with burglary protection for housing and homeowners' associations
Are you on the board of a housing association and your homeowners' or housing association is responsible for replacing locks, installing access control, video surveillance or a doorphone? Then you should first and foremost seek advice from professional installers who can adapt the solution to your needs.
Do you need a professional locksmith for homeowners' associations, cooperative housing associations, or public housing associations? So don't hesitate to contact KEYPARTNER. We have many years of experience in helping housing associations find secure solutions for their properties. We would be happy to discuss your needs with no obligation and are happy to share our experience and knowledge at board meetings and general meetings.
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