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Posted by Worried on April 05, 2001 at 13:40:38:

I live in an apartment building in Queens, stabilized with about 20 families. There is the front door do the building where you are buzzed in and on the side street is a ramp that goes down below street level where the super lives and behind that are garbage cans.

There is a door that leads into the lobby of the building by the garbage cans which has no lock. The door is open 24/7/365.

At any time, anyone can walk down that ramp and into the building. A woman had her baby carriage chained under the stairs in the lobby and it was recently stolen by someone who obviously used this way of entry. Now it was not too smart to leave anything around like that, however, giving the thief easy entry isn't very wise either.

The owner says that putting a hook and eye latch on the inside of the door leading out to the garbage cans illegal. I doubt this is true. I could see a padlock being illegal but anyone who needs to get out in an emergency only need unhook the thing and open the door.

This is a dangerous situation. There are several elderly tenants home alone all day and the building is wide open to anyone. Worse yet, the superintendent has decided to go back to school and is not home between 10 and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The gate at the top of the ramp could easily be locked but it appears that it's too much of a pain in the neck for the super to do. Once before, someone complained about it and it was locked for a little while and then forgotten about again.

Now with this theft, it's happening all over again. I have a feeling it will be locked for a few days and then be forgotten about again.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Follow Ups:

• Re: Building is wide open for intruders, LL says..... JL 04/05/01 (2)
  • The door has no lock. That is the problem. Worried 04/06/01 (1)
    • Re: The door has no lock. That is the problem. JL 04/06/01 (0)

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: I live in an apartment building in Queens, stabilized with about 20 families.  There is the front door do the building where you are buzzed in and on the side street is a ramp that goes down below street level where the super lives and behind that are garbage cans.

: There is a door that leads into the lobby of the building by the garbage cans which has no lock.  The door is open 24/7/365.

: At any time, anyone can walk down that ramp and into the building.  A woman had her baby carriage chained under the stairs in the lobby and it was recently stolen by someone who obviously used this way of entry.  Now it was not too smart to leave anything around like that, however, giving the thief easy entry isn't very wise either.

: The owner says that putting a hook and eye latch on the inside of the door leading out to the garbage cans illegal.  I doubt this is true.  I could see a padlock being illegal but anyone who needs to get out in an emergency only need unhook the thing and open the door.

: This is a dangerous situation.  There are several elderly tenants home alone all day and the building is wide open to anyone.  Worse yet, the superintendent has decided to go back to school and is not home between 10 and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

: The gate at the top of the ramp could easily be locked but it appears that it's too much of a pain in the neck for the super to do.  Once before, someone complained about it and it was locked for a little while and then forgotten about again.

: Now with this theft, it's happening all over again.  I have a feeling it will be locked for a few days and then be forgotten about again.  

: Any suggestions would be appreciated.  


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