Tenant Safety Awareness

Although Watt Plaza has security measures in place, there is no such thing as a "fail-safe" system. Even the most elaborate of security precautions (such as alarm systems, patrol officers, etc.) are not guarantees against crime. Please carefully consider and follow these suggestions.

Crime will always increase if the opportunity is greater and defenses are down. The professional criminal is always alert to:

1. Unprotected Property
2. Opportunity

PREVENTION comes with awareness and concern. Tenants of Watt Plaza can play a great part in reducing the chances a criminal opportunist may have by following the few simple precautions outlined in this Safety Awareness bulletin.

1. WATCH FOR STRANGERS

• Screen all visitors, and question any stranger in your office. Call 911 immediately if you feel threatened. After calling 911, please notify Building Security at 310.789.2188 for report purposes and provide adequate description so that Security can assist with directing the police to your suite upon arrival. A Security Officer will report to your suite and observe. Security is unable to use physical force to remove the person and thus the police will need to intervene.
• Report any suspicious activity to Building Security, immediately, including activity in the parking garage or around the exterior of the building.
• Be aware of persons loitering in the corridors and around the building. The target hours are 30 minutes before/after work and during the lunch hour. Thieves like to disguise themselves as a person on the move; get to know other people on your floor and in your suite.
• Do not allow unverified or unauthorized service people to take your office equipment without proper authorization and identification. If you have any doubt, please call to confirm service and their credentials with the vendor.
• Be aware of your surroundings at all times, including when walking to/from the parking areas. Make a special effort to look around corners when entering parking garages, etc. after dark. Have your car keys ready when exiting the building at night, and lock your doors upon entering your car. Walk in groups whenever possible, or ask for a security escort by calling 310-789-2188.
• Repairs and/or maintenance service calls made to your suite should be verified by your office manager. If you are not the contact person and an engineer or vendor approaches you, do not hesitate to ask them to wait before commencing work in order for the office manager to confirm that their presence was requested. In addition, please note that all Watt Plaza Engineers and Day Porters are in uniform at all times and are identified with a name tag. Nevertheless, do not hesitate to call the Security Console (310-789-2188) if you are uncertain of the reason for the contractor’s visit. Please use similar precautions when hiring any vendors directly.

2. WATCH YOUR POSSESSIONS

• Always keep your purse or wallet securely locked in a desk or filing cabinet, even if you are away from your desk for only a few minutes. Purses left unattended outside a desk or in an unlocked desk drawer, and wallets left inside a hanging coat, are easy targets for theft.
• Packages and purses should be carried in front of your person to deter quick “grab and run” thefts. Leave all packages in the trunk of your car rather than in the interior, or in a locked drawer or cabinet in your office. Do not leave packages (i.e. shopping bags) on your desk or file cabinets.
• Do not leave the keys to a locked file cabinet or desk in the top drawer of your desk; this is a common habit and criminals know it.
• Do not leave checkbooks on top of desks. A few blank checks taken out of the back of the book may not be missed until you are notified by your bank that they have been cashed. Place the checks in a secure location when they are not being used.
• Avoid keeping large amounts of petty cash, and keep it locked up at all times.
• Do not leave office equipment or valuables near exit doors.
• Lock small office equipment (i.e. laptop computers, electronic organizers, etc.) in your desk drawer when leaving the office.

3. TAKE PRECAUTIONS

• Lock entrance doors during off hours and/or when the receptionist is not on duty, or provide a relief receptionist whenever the front door is unlocked or unattended.
• You may consider keeping the door locked if only one person is in your office.
• Lock desks and file cabinets before you leave.
• Keep all auxiliary entrance/exit doors locked AT ALL TIMES (even when just making a short trip to the restroom).
• When leaving for the day, turn off electrical appliances and lights, and make certain all doors are locked.
• Stairwells are for emergency exit only. People who prop open the doors and use the stairwells for activities such as smoking (which is against Building Rules and Regulations) give the office thief access to the building. Please contact the Security Desk or the Building Management Office if you are aware that this is happening on your floor.
• Report lost or stolen office keys or access cards to the Building Management Office or Security immediately.
• Call the security console at 310-789-2188 or stop by to request an escort as you exit the building. Building Security is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for escorts to your car.

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