Student flats are easy targets for burglaries. So how do you deal with theft when it happens to you?
Olivia Dobrowolski and Olivia Whyte. Photo: Bea Taylor
“Super safe.”
That’s how flatmates Olivia Whyte and Olivia Dobrowolski felt about the security of their flat.
A nosey neighbour patrolled their street in a respectable Wellington suburb. They assumed being surrounded by other flats would guarantee some safety and protection.
Dobrowolski’s family in Auckland had been the victim of theft in the past. “I was always aware of it but never thought it would happen to us”.
Both were stuck miles away from Wellington, but a flood of Snapchat messages and a call from a crying flatmate reminded them that their flat wasn’t as secure as they thought.
“I was very surprised, I didn't think our home would ever be broken into. It made me feel sick to think someone had been going through our personal things”, says Dobrowolski.
Whyte says: “First came shock, then sadness knowing we wouldn’t see our possessions again. And then came uneasiness.”
Thieves had taken the television, Wii console, camera, jewellery, even a bag of unopened plastic storage hooks and ballet pointe shoes.
Reported burglaries in New Zealand in 2014 were recorded at 53,265, nearly 1000 more than those recorded in 2013.
The trend of robbing student flats is evident on Facebook page ‘Vic Deals’, with students from both Victoria and Massey universities posting weekly about break-ins and thefts.
“Hey guys, our place on Hanson st got robbed tonight while we were home. Just putting this out there…keep ur doors locked!” – April 28
“We had a bit of a fright last night with an intruder and would just like to match up any similar details? Thanks” – July 20
“Hey guys, we just got home to find our house robbed….at least they were courteous enough to close the door, and smart enough to leave our Maori taonga well alone” – August 24
I didn't think our home would ever be broken into. It made me feel sick to think someone had been going through our personal things.
In the aftermath of the burglary Dobrowolski and Whyte have found their reactions to be very different.
Dobrowolski didn’t lose anything of her own, but the break-in left her feeling taken advantage of. The thought of her flat being broken into puts her on edge, and she’s joined neighbourhood watch Facebook pages and keeps a wary eye on people and cars on the street.
She says nearly every week there is a new post about reported break-ins and robberies in the area. “No one is safe, everyone's a suspect.”
She hides valuables when there are parties at the flat and people she does not know are over.
One night after seeing a “suspicious” white van drive slowly past the flat, Dobrowolski hopped into her car and followed in order to get its number plate.
The van was filled with a girl’s sports team, but Dobrowolski doesn’t regret her actions. “You have to do it just in case because it’s not worth the risk”.
Whyte lost her great grandmother’s pearl bracelet and necklace in the burglary, along with most of her other possessions, but after getting over the initial shock of the break-in her attitude is “the same as ever” towards flat security.
“It just happens, people need to accept that”.
The hassle of digging in her bag for keys, especially when running late for class, means Whyte doesn’t always lock the door when she leaves.
This is what Dobrowolski finds unbelievable. “If you dont lock your door, what do you expect … you should just be more conscious of that stuff.”
Whyte counts herself lucky to have had insurance. One month before the robbery, her father told her he was cancelling her insurance.
“He said: ‘Oh she doesn’t have anything of value, why am I paying this?’”
Luckily, he never got around to it.
Police Inspector Chris Bensemann says students are easy targets because of their age, type of living conditions and casual attitude to life.
“Offenders that are familiar with the university part of town will target university students.”
Inspector Bensemann says the warmer months are when more burglaries occur. “From the first day of spring we will see a spike in dishonesty crime.”
He says it is common sense, such as making sure laptops are not in plain sight before going out on a Saturday night, that students disregard.
When it comes to property safety, Police advise common sense:
- Lock your doors
- Know your neighbours
- Keep windows secure
- Keep trees and shrubs ‘trimmed’ so they don’t provide hiding places for burglars
- Be aware and call 111 if there is an emergency.
