<p>I’m sitting here at my computer at 5am after being up all night talking to d. on the phone after her 2nd break-in at her condo in 3 days. She came home from work about 2am this morning and found her that her place had been once again broken into and more possessions stolen. The first time was Wed. night when she had a Coach purse, paycheck, tip money, and camera stolen. Tonight was more tip money, expensive jewelry with sentimental attachment, ipod and even items from refrigerator.</p>
<p>She is so angry, scared, feels violated and wants out of her lease. At this point I am in support of breaking the lease. The really weird thing is that the police feel that it is someone with a key (no sign of forced entry). The landlord swears that he changed all locks before she moved in in May and that the only keys are hers, her roommate (who is also cousin), and his. Plus the landlord lives 4 hours away so I don’t really suspect him.</p>
<p>Right now she and my niece and a guy friend are sitting together with chairs shoved under the doors, keeping watch. Tomorrow they are going to change locks again, but if what landlord says is true (and when police called him, he said he had receipt to prove he change locks), I’m not sure new locks will help.</p>
<p>I think I want her out. This looked like a nice neighborhood. No one else in the 10 unit complex has been hit–really creepy.</p>
<p>It could be that someone copied her key when she had to give her key to a third party–valet parking, car wash, etc. Changing the locks would help in that situation.</p>
<p>I can’t imagine how it would feel to have my house broken in once, much less twice in 3 days. Just be grateful that she wasn’t home either time!</p>
<p>She needs to get her locks changed, right now. The landlord should help with this. I thnk that ellemenope has the right idea. Somebody has a copy of the key to that condo.</p>
<p>It was probably the same person both times. Coming back for stuff they couldn’t get before. You should have her watch, “It takes a thief” on the discovery channel. I think it is on at 6 on weeknights, it will show ways on how thiefs get in and how to protect yourself.</p>
<p>I definitely agree with changing the locks. Can your daughter stay with a friend until the locks are changed? If it happens after the locks are changed–run.</p>
<p>“It could be that someone copied her key when she had to give her key to a third party–valet parking, car wash, etc. C”</p>
<p>Auto repair shops, too. That’s why one should only give them one’s car key, not one’s key chain with all of the keys on it.</p>
<p>I agree that the break-ins were probably the same person, and the person has a copy of her key. The locks need to be changed right now. There are 24-hour lock services. She can call and get the locks changed right now. Worth it for peace of mind and safety.</p>
<p>It had to be someone who would have had access to her keys and knew her address. Most house keys are pretty indistinguishable. A valet parker wouldn’t know her address, probably.</p>
<p>Years ago, friends of mine lived in a building occupied mostly by fellow students. Most apartments in the building got burgled. It turned out that someone had instituted a watch to figure out when those students would be out of their apartments for classes and took advantage of their absence to burgle. </p>
<p>In this case, I would change the locks, make an extra set of keys for the landlord, and charge the costs to him. Isn’t the landlord or whichever serviceman he relies on to do repairs supposed to make an appointment rather than come in at will? I would be on hand when either the landlord or serviceman comes calling.</p>
<p>These are probably less likely than the other possibilities that have been raised, but if I were Miss Marple or Ms. Milhone, I would not overlook two possibilities:</p>
<p>The LL has given someone else (condo maintenance or a trusted relative) a key for an emergency and has forgotten or won’t say because he doesn’t want them involved in this. It seems odd that with him four hours away he wouldn’t want someone closer to be able to get in the apartment if something happens while the tenant is away.</p>
<p>That someone in condo maintenance has the training and the equipment to make keys from a lock. (I know people who do property management who have this for when tenants change locks on them and move out without giving them a key).</p>
<p>She was out during both robberies, luckily. What is really scary is what would have happened if they had walked back in on them?</p>
<p>I was on phone with landlord this am. After talking with several locksmiths in the area I found out a few things:
-there is something called key bumping where a burglar inserts what is essentially a skeleton key for a particular lock brand and then taps the key with a rubber hammer–lock is opened in under 5 sec.
-sometimes a burglar will come and pop out a door handle lock (which they have), take it and have a key made and if it is keyed to match the dead bolt (theirs does) come back later to rob
-don’t buy locks that are 5/10–supposedly are the easiest to “jimmie”, go for 6/10 (hers are 5/10)</p>
<p>The girls have only lived there since the middle of May and said they have never parked anywhere where they had to leave keys. The landlord has only had work people in when the girl(s) where home to let them in. Both girls swear that they have never given their keys to a friend for any reason.</p>
<p>As of now, I told the landlord that he was paying for a Sunday call from a locksmith to change and upgrade the dead bolts and adding an interior security slide (like hotels have). He agreed, but if there is one more problem of any kind–that lease is dust!!!</p>
<p>Start looking for somewhere else to live. Until them, ask the landlord if she can have additional locks put on the door(s), at her own expense, even if she has to give management a key. This is a scary situation.</p>
<p>You don’t even need the training necessary to dupe a key. All you need is a master key for that particular brand of lock. Could easily be a current or former building tenant, landlord’s maintenance personnel or subcontractor, past or present.</p>
<p>Additionally, as conyat suggest, there could be a key given earlier to someone, perhaps even a prior romantic partner. The list is potentially endless.</p>
<p>Terrible experience, mkm. I really understand how your D feels violated and totally insecure.</p>
<p>Although I’ve no idea why the 2nd break-in in this particular case, I learned long ago that “return visits” are a routine part of the “professional’s” game plan. A friend of mine - CEO of a large company who travelled often - had his home broken into and nearly every lick of furniture, electronics and other valuables taken. Insurance covered it, so although it was a major hassle and a grave sense of violation, it was not a cost factor. Several weeks later, by the time most items had been replaced, the same crew broke in again. They know that people tend to replace everything newer and better, and they have a pretty good idea of the timing, so they come back knowing they’ll get an even better haul. Awful.</p>
<p>I’m so sorry this has happened to your family. The following story sounds like a joke, but actually I’m offering it in case it helps for real: Some years back I read about a burglary in Jerusalem where the thieves stole electronics, cash and also picked up the tickets sitting on the desk to the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra.</p>
<p>The police waited in watch on the appointed night and sure enough, the burglars came and sat down in those seats. They were immediately arrested, and the rest of the electronics were still in their apartments.</p>
<p>Point of story: Is there any item of your daughters that might resurface in some way, being used by the burglars themselves? If so, mention that to the police.</p>
<p>Good point, P3T. Alerting banks with the name on the paycheck could work. Though banks should ask for ID when cashing checks, some individual tellers may not. With a warning about the place the check is from and the name of the individual its for, they may be able to catch the person when he/she tries to cash the check.</p>
<p>Very upsetting! While it is easy for us to construct multiple fantasy scenarios, my own best guess is that the perp(s) are watching to make sure the apartment is empty. I would install a hidden camera in the apartment. That type of technology has gotten small and cheap. Based on the information you got from the locksmith, simply changing the locks might not protect the apartment. You won’t really feel safe until the thief is caught.</p>