Don’t let courteousness overtake reason

It’s amazing how many burglars walk through the front doors of condominium buildings with the help of residents.

Many thieves rely on “resident courtesy” to get into a building. Their MO is simple: Just offer some friendly conversa- tion and hold the door open for someone who lives there.

These thieves have mastered the art of acceptance and that’s something residents need to be aware of — otherwise it’ll cost them and fellow homeowners in the building a deductible and higher insurance rates.

If you have a tendency to let strangers through the front door because you can’t bring yourself to let a door close in anyone’s face, you’d better start asking a few questions.

Questions like: “Who are you?” or “Who are you visiting in the building?”

If you’re not prepared to screen the person trying to gain entry, then just don’t let them in. And if they barge their way through, make sure you either contact condo board members or the police to investigate the situation.

You have a moral obligation to make sure sneaky individuals do not enter the building under any circumstances without first contacting the person they are there to see.

I’m sure “aiding in a burglary” is not something you want on your resumé. Unknowingly, however, that’s exactly what you may be doing when you allow an unidentified person into your building.

One way to address this serious problem is to post “No key, no entry” signs at the front doors of the building.

These signs act as a reminder to owners and their guests not to let anybody into the building unless they possess a key.

All visitors and guests must ring the person they came to see on the Enterphone panel. It is then up to the individual owner to screen the call before buzzing that person into the building.

If your visitors experience somebody muscling their way through the front door, they have an obligation to let you know —not only for your safety but the safety of the rest of the building residents.

Being a do-gooder defeats the purpose of locks and puts the building at risk of a possible break-in.

Locks are meant to keep the crooks out; don’t defeat their purpose by letting courteousness overtake reason.

Not all burglars wear masks and black gloves; in most cases they look like average people and are often well-dressed, so don’t go by appearance.

Good building security hinges on everybody doing their part to ensure crooks don’t gain access, but a building is only as secure as its weakest resident. Don’t be that weak link.

Beware of “the lurking intruder.” This burglar often appears out of thin air just when you are about to enter the building, knowing full well most people will let him or her in with no questions asked.

Capitalizing on the weak is a common trait of these low-life thieves. Often these creeps will follow an elderly person or child into the building.

If you encounter this type of intruder, notify as many people in the building as possible to check out the situation.

Then there’s “the helping hand.” This type of crook capitalizes on being a nice guy — a courteous person who usually appears at the door just as you are struggling with an armful of parcels or groceries.

He or she is quick to hold the door open for you, gaining your confidence, respect and, of course, free entry into the building.

The “fake look-up” pretends to look somebody’s name up on the Enterphone just as you go through the front door. Once the door is open, the thief quickly grabs it and gains entry.

And, of course, there’s the “Enterphone smooth talker.” This person rings some people at random on the Enterphone and persuades them to buzz the door open.

Keep in mind that an intruder can wear many hats. He might appear to be a building repair man, the postman, the courier, the pizza man, or even the police.

Here’s a good rule of thumb: When in doubt about who’s at the front door, always come downstairs and check first. It may take some effort and time on your part, but better safe than sorry.