Painters at the South Campus Commons apartments mistakenly left more than a dozen rooms unlocked for several hours last Thursday after completing summer maintenance. Although nothing was reported stolen, some concerned residents consider the mistake a security breach.
The painters, who work for contractor Manders Decorating Company, entered rooms in Buildings 1 and 2 and left without locking as many as 15 rooms, according to Gina Brasty, director of University Affiliated Undergraduate Housing for Capstone Management, the apartment’s ownership.
Phil Manders, a supervisor with the painting company, said his crews may not have understood their instructions to properly lock the doors. They thought they had locked the doors when they pushed in a lock button, but the locks must also be turned to engage, Brasty said.
“We always explained to the people in charge [how to work the locks],” Brasty said.
Staff first found a few doors unlocked when a resident brought it to their attention around 7 p.m., about two hours after the painters left the building. Other rooms remained unlocked until around 10 p.m., Brasty said.
Many residents were unaware of the unlocked doors and said the incident demonstrates how vulnerable students can be, especially with rampant “tailgating” in the buildings. Tailgating – or when non-residents follow a resident into a building to gain access – has led to several thefts, the residents said.
Resident Assistant Andrew Murad, a senior government and politics major, admits to letting tailgaters into his building, “depending on their appearance.”
Another Commons resident, who asked not to be named, said she always exercises her “right to ask” whether someone is a resident before letting them in. “We as a community need to encourage this [for greater security],” she said.
This is not the first time rooms were accidentally left unlocked at the Commons, Brasty said. Two years ago, employees from another contracting company failed to lock up after themselves, affecting three rooms.
“Before I leave, I’m going to personally make sure each of the doors is locked,” Manders said.
Contact reporter Brady Holt at holtdbk@gmail.com.
