Apartment Security Survey Tips

I just finished inspecting a one-bedroom apartment unit for a friend on a twenty-year old upscale property in the Country Club Plaza neighborhood of Kansas City. This property is managed by one of the largest property managers in the country. I was shocked by what I found. Because of the premium rent, I expected to find the property in compliance with all the minimum recommended security features. On my earlier recommendation, my friend had selected a highly visible second floor unit, in view of the office, because it would be inherently safer for a single woman living alone. I inspected the door locks and found only one in place. It was a tired-looking deadbolt lock that had obviously been switched from another unit. As a retired police officer and former locksmith, I thought a new resident surely deserves a newly keyed lock, especially if it's the only one on the door? To make matters worse, the old lock had paint splashed on it making it easily distinguishable to the former users. No one could say for certain how many times this lock had been rotated between units and how many keys were out there. Upon examining the lock strike-plate, I found two half-inch wood screws holding the strike plate onto a frail-looking piece of dried-out doorjamb. It would only take one firm kick to gain access into the unit and to my friend. I recommended that my friend order a Dual Function Door Brace from my online store. This item will allow her to secure the door from the inside, and it is nearly impossible to force a door with it in place. I examined the accessible sliding glass windows and doors and found them with the usual aluminum latching hardware. All these glass sliders were missing secondary track-blocking devices and anti-lift measures. I feel these devices are necessary on all accessible sliding windows because of the potential for the latches to fail and not withstand minimal prying or lifting force. I recommended she attach the secondary blocking locks, she can pick-up these at the local hardware store. I then installed three of the Mace Window Alerts on the windows that were accessible from the exterior via a short ladder. I felt the second floor windows were an unlikely point of entry, due to the height, but the window alarms are cheap insurance. I was concerned how these security measures were somehow overlooked when inspected at turnover by maintenance workers and by the leasing consultants who showed it. I learned that instead of a detailed unit walk-through with the leasing consultant, my friend was simply handed a form to fill out and return only if she noticed anything that was damaged in the apartment. How many new residents would know to check the door locks, strike-plates, and window security? Does this practice sound familiar to you? Imagine how you would feel, if someone who you cared about were brutally attacked inside his or her apartment unit. Imagine how you would feel if you learned that the assailant gained entry by either using an old key or by easily kicking the door open. Wouldn't you be upset? Wouldn't you what the apartment property manager punished for not acting responsibly? This is precisely why lawsuits are filed.