The holidays present a security challenge for condo buildings. Many residents travel to see family, leaving their units unoccupied; others have family stay over, leading to an increase in unfamiliar people around the building. Between these two, it would be easy for an intruder to make it into the building without anyone noticing.

Take the following steps to improve security in your building this holiday season:

Check the locks on all exterior doors, and report any malfunctions to the building manager immediately.

Ensure that the common areas of your building are safe and appear well attended, to deter criminals. The areas should be well lit (report burnt out light bulbs promptly), clean, and secure.

Leave your condo’s door locked, even when you’re in the unit itself. Check the peephole before opening the door for anyone.

Any windows that can be reached from the ground level should have adequate locking mechanisms, and possibly metal bars, depending on the area.

Consider using a light timer when you’re away on vacation, to give your unit the appearance of being lived-in.

If you see something suspicious, don’t shrug it off. Let building security or your building manager know as soon as possible.

Remember, the only way to maintain a safe building is for all tenants to participate. If you need to contact another tenant in your building, you can always use halespropertymanagement.com to check your building directory, or contact Hales Property Management at (312) 666-0149.