Denied access to surveillance

[rrruuunnn 0]

My van was burglarized parked in my apartment parking garage. There was $2000 in damages. The apartment is denying me access to surveillance. They have many cameras and choke point cameras.

 

Is it corporate policy for nationally owned corporate run apartments to deny access to the residents or is it to their discretion?

 

The office told me that pd doesn't usually even look at the video. And I just got a call from the detective today. He said that they can't "compel" the apartment to release the video.

[Kawboy12R 0]

I can see them refusing to give the video to YOU, but what I didn't see in your post was if they would refuse to give it to the police if the POLICE asked them. Not COMPELLED them, just showed up and asked them. It might just be that the management needs to deal with the police and only the police for liability reasons.

[rrruuunnn 0]

Well, I feel much better that this is not due to me being a hermit at my complex.

 

It has been over a month since the burglary. The detective said that it is unlikely that there is anything on the video that will solve the case. The detective said that they can not compel the apartment to let me see the video. It seems like no one will ever review the tapes.

 

I am used to working with large corporations. They seemed to like the word "no."

 

I run 9 restaurants and I've released video to my employees and reviewed for customers. Have I been putting myself in harm for a lawsuit? We've had some of our videos on the news. One made it on world's dumbest criminals.

 

I remember a couple cases where the video alone solved the case. I use MJPEG format which is good for facial recognition.

 

They used to email everyone when there is a string of burglaries in the parking garage. But they don't do that anymore. I see piles of glass. They have just installed new brighter lights. The apartment is gated. But it can easily be defeated. No one hears or checks when the car alarm goes off. I've been thinking of moving into a townhouse rental.

 

I think the detective is unmotivated because I called over a month since it happened and they have too many cases. He didn't ask me what was stolen.

[Kawboy12R 0]

That sucks. It'd be nice to know that they looked and at least checked to see if the cams got a good shot of what went down. As far as liability went, I was more worried about abuse of access to the video record by, say, jealous husbands asking security who visited their apartment or whatever. Giving access to just the police keeps them from being played or duped by people falsifying reasons to look at the "tapes". Same goes for giving the control ofwas access rights to the guys in the booth. If they are allowed to ONLY give access to the police, then they're less likely to play fast and loose with the footage for favours or whatever. The rules would be simple- cops only or you're fired.

[vector18 1]

If my building wouldn't allow me access to their security camera footage after my vehicle was burglarized, I would ask them

why even have security cameras to begin with if you won't review footage of my property being vandalized? It's not like you parked your car on a public street in front of a building that you do not live in and the next day you knock on their door asking to

review video footage from their cameras because your car was vandalized outside their building. You live in your building!

I would definitely make a huge stink and sit in on the next board meeting and ask why we have security cameras!

[milkisbad 0]

If you know the date and approximate time when it was vandalized and which cameras were near your van , takes about 10 mins or less to find the data...seems like the detective doesn't care. I had a few cases where the guy didn't know how to back up data, but had to do it ASAP at the request of the police...maybe its different since its NYPD though, then called me for a walk-through on how to backup.

 

i think the video should go from management to police and not to you though, then police to you if they let you...nobody wants to be responsible for anything these days.

[rrruuunnn 0]

Actually, this apartment isn't that upscale. They don't have a booth. But they do have proximity remotes to let residents in the doors and the garage. But strangers can follow someone else in. I was thinking about starting to attend the appreciation brunches.

 

My auto remote didn't receive the time because the auto alarm store mistakenly installed a 1/4 mile antenna. So the burglary happened within a 14 hour window. But most likely between 2 am to sunrise. The office manager said that she wasn't going to look at 14 hours of video. I told her that one can use the fast forward and watch for my catalog case. It would still be up to a few hours of work, but doable. If she has a computer based system, even faster using the scroll. I don't think anyone has looked at the video. Because no one has asked me for the description of the catalog case.

 

I emailed the head manager to ask for access. She didn't respond. Somewhat unprofessional.

 

A cop saw my camper van with other cars parked in the fire lane. I was parked next to my room until I get the right alarm system and install security screens. The cop told me to call the detective and ask to help them analyze the video. I called two weeks later, the detective said he couldn't compel the apartment to let me see the video and it is unlikely to have anything of value.

 

The apartment posted hide and lock signs everywhere. I have curtains. A burglar will break in regardless, because I have a camper van. I have been sleeping in my camper van when I am in town until I put a security partition.

 

Every burglar we've caught in the restaurant has a drug record. But I wouldn't be surprised if a resident inside this apartment has a drug debt.

[SectorSecurity 0]

The last time this happened to use the crown prosecutor came in with a court order and took our entire DVR, not just the HDD, not a copy of the footage, but the whole unit, they of course replaced the unit at no cost to us, but it goes to show if the police or the prosecutor want your surveillance they can get it.

 

However Kawboy12R is right they are not obligated to show you the surveillance video.

[Kawboy12R 0]

Exactly. Imagine if the cops didn't do anything and they showed the footage to someone who went out and got a little vigilante action on their own? Legally, that could get a whole lot of messy in a real hurry. That being said though, I'm not terribly impressed with the person who didn't want to spend the time reviewing the footage for someone they are SUPPOSED to be helping. It shouldn't take too long with a decent system to search a specific area for the theft. It's not like they're using VIDEOTAPE. I hope.

[rrruuunnn 0]

The complex is big. Our parking garage has six levels. There are many exit cameras. I don't blame the detective for not reviewing tapes. They are allocating resources judging on calculated ROI.

 

But the office manager of 2 yrs doesn't seem to have a desire to review tapes. I had to tell her how to skim using the fast forward button. She was going to watch the video in real time. Which comes back to who is motivated to review the tape, the victim.

 

Well maybe the detective and apt has a point that most likely nothing good on the tape anyways. The office seemed bummed about having to skim 14 hrs of video.

 

This got me to beef up my van anyways. The burglar got a tool that has no value to him or a pawn shop.

 

If someone from the office would have looked a my van with the curtains ripped up and two windows busted, they would see that Im just trying to see if anything for the case is on the video.

 

Including new window tint brings total cost $1500 not including my time installing the windows myself. Is it better to claim insurance or absorb cost in the long run. I have rv insurance. Im talking to myself. So yall dont have to answer that question. But if anyone has advice, I havent reported to insurance yet.

 

My car got a huge dent at Target. I wanted to look at surveillance. Guess what they said immediately. Chance of anything of value is slim. I might have recognized who did it.

 

When I mentioned the apt burglary to a Reliant stadium lawyer friend, he said that he would have given me the surveillance, I guess it depends on who you talk to.