Hi Jim,
To follow up on the recent letter on Commercial Storage Space Thievery, I had a very similar experience with my storage locker. I have a locker from Public Storage in Saratoga, California and had the very same thing happen. I checked out my unit one night and another lock was on the unit. I had the Sheriff come by and they did the usual. The problem I am having presently is the insurance company hasn’t really done much and its been three months [since I discovered the theft.] I had all the receipts from Amazon.com and Costco.com so that isn’t the problem. They keep dragging their feet while I still pay for insurance on the unit. To add injury to insult, Public Storage just raised my rent. Best Regards, – Martin in California
Mr. Rawles and Steve S.:
I am a Resident Manager of a storage facility. Many of my tenants are preppers. We have not had any trouble in the seven years that I have been manager.
The secret to having a secured facility is to ask questions. Here are some tips on selecting a safe place for your preps
1. Does the manager live on property and is the resident close to the gate.
2. Security – what form does it take
3. Are the camera recording 24/7 or are they for show
4. Entry into the facility – coded box and log
5. Own lock – case hardened – round locks are the best as it takes a long time to cut and usually requires some type of cutting tool
6. Limited Gate hours – 24 hour facility is just asking for trouble. Thieves come in the night
7. Fencing – easy or hard to climb
8. More than one gate – how is the second one monitored
9. Does the facility have alarms on the doors – newer places have this.
10. Not a lot of corridors as the turning can keep someone from seeing
11. Neighborhood/location –ask local police if there is a history of trouble.
12. How long has the manager been in charge – long term managers are usually the ones that have a secure facility.
When putting preps/guns or such make sure it does not look like you are placing important items inside the unit. If you are going to be out of the area find a family member or friend that you trust and have them check the unit at least once a month. Units that are visited by the people who rent them are less like to have trouble.
If you, personally, don’t feel comfortable then do not rent there.
Yes, both myself and my security/maintenance guy are preppers and we have learned many good lessons from this web site
Thank you for all you have taught us. – Texgalatheart
James,
I was dismayed to read Steve S.’s letter about thieves chopping locks off of multiple storage units. Like Steve, I chose a gated facility with cameras. However, there is an additional layer of security available at some storage facilities that your readers may wish to know about. The facility I chose has individually coded entry alarms. When I visit the facility, I must swipe an uniquely coded electronic key in order to open the gate. That key is coded to my individual storage units. If I do not unlock and open either of my specific storage units within ten minutes or so after entering the gate, an alarm goes off. Similarly, if either of my units are unlocked and opened without me first entering the gate, an alarm goes off.
Obviously one pays a price for the additional security (my facility also has on-site resident managers). However, my facility always has a waiting list so the price must be right (it was for me!). Just thought folks might want to know this technology is available and commercially feasible for storage facilities to implement! – David in Pleasanton