Lewd laundry? No way. Your laundry room should be a safe space, not a creepy peep show.
Are you tired of laundry room woes plaguing your condo building?
Lewd laundry isn’t just about perverts. It’s about feeling unsafe. It’s about stolen clothes, damaged property, and even violence. Your laundry room should be a calm zone, not a crime scene.
We’re spilling the beans on how to protect your residents and create a laundry facility everyone feels comfortable in. Let’s put an end to lewd laundry once and for all.
It’s time to reclaim control.
What is lewd laundry?
Lewd laundry refers to any indecent gestures, obscene, or vulgar remarks made by someone while another person is doing their laundry.
It could also mean the installation of hidden cameras in washing machines, dryers, or other areas of the laundry room to capture explicit images or videos of unsuspecting people.
Why do you need lewd laundry surveillance?
Condo laundry rooms are typically found in shared spaces for the convenience and accessibility of all residents. Basement level is the preferred choice because of plumbing and ventilation considerations.
Some condo buildings have laundry rooms on the ground floor, often near the main entrance or parking area.
Sometimes, these areas are secluded with poor lighting, allowing unrestricted access to laundry rooms and facilitating “lewd laundry” activities. This can also lead to graffiti on washing machines or walls.
According to world metrics, laundry rooms in multi-family housing units often average around 15 to 20 square feet.
Such small laundry rooms become hotspots for certain types of crime:
- Theft: Laundry rooms are often targets for theft of items like laundry detergent, fabric softener, or even personal belongings left unattended.
- Vandalism: Smaller spaces can be more easily damaged, with potential targets including washing machines, dryers, and walls.
- Drug activity: The isolated nature of laundry rooms can make them attractive locations for drug use or dealing.
- Loitering: These spaces can become hangouts for individuals who may be engaged in suspicious or criminal activity.
The disturbing rise of “lewd laundry” incidents, where hidden cameras are used to capture compromising footage in communal laundry facilities, has made it essential to implement robust surveillance strategies.
Sureveillance strategies to prevent lewd laundry:
Enhanced Lighting:Â
Improve lighting in the laundry area to deter suspicious activity and make it difficult to conceal hidden cameras.
Bright fluorescent lights or smart bulbs are the best options to lighten up your laundry facility, especially in the basement! A semi-flush mount light enhances visibility in the laundry room.
Placing the light right above the CCTV surveillance cameras also enhances the live video surveillance.
Restrict access:Â
Philips, a leading washing machine brand confirms a fun fact: The average family in the United States does 8 to 10 loads of laundry per week. That means a lot of footprints in and out of the laundry room. So you gotta make sure people are going in for laundry only.
While some are worried about the best fabric softeners and making the laundry on time, some also visit for lewd laundry!
Implement a secure access system, such as key cards or biometric scanners, to limit entry to authorized residents.
There is a strong possibility that those who don’t live there will be involved in such lewd laundry activities, rather than the residents of the condo or apartment.
Install surveillance cameras:Â
Install CCTV surveillance cameras in strategic locations to monitor the laundry room without compromising resident privacy.
Monitoring smaller areas can sometimes be tricky, so make sure you don’t leave surveillance gaps. A Pan-tilt-zoom camera can also be used for an in-depth analysis at the time an incident is reported.
The camera’s field of view should capture the entire room, including entrances, exits, and washing/drying machines.
Invest in a high-resolution camera (more than 1 is advisable!), especially:
- Above the entrance: This position provides a clear view of people entering and exiting the laundry room.
- Corner near the washing machines: This angle captures a wide room area and monitors activity around the machines.
- High on a wall: A higher placement can deter tampering and provide a broader view.
Emergency Protocols:
Clearly display emergency contact information in case of suspicious activity or incidents of “lewd laundry.”
Installing an emergency intercom system can create a sense of increased security within the building. Potential perpetrators may be less likely to engage in illegal activities if they believe there’s a higher chance of being detected.
Suppose a resident notices suspicious activity in the laundry room and uses the emergency intercom. In that case, a prompt response from remote operators can disrupt the activity by acting in accordance with the pre-set SOPs.
Educate the residents:
Educate residents about the risks of “lewd laundry” and encourage them to report any unusual behavior or objects.
You need to bring to the knowledge of the residents that in-unit laundry machines for every resident will be costly, and a laundry room saves you on water costs and maintenance fees. Therefore, it’s better for them to be cautious of the laundry area to prevent acts of vandalism.
To further enhance safety and communication, you can explore other options:
- Informative pamphlets: These will outline laundry room etiquette, safety tips, and reporting procedures.
- Resident communication app: Stay informed and connected! Some buildings offer an app to keep residents updated on what’s happening inside the building.
Inform residents about the surveillance system and its purpose to build trust and deter potential offenders.
Yes, it’s sometimes essential to remind residents that such behavior is intolerable. Discussing potential penalties or fines could also serve as a deterrent.
Remote video monitoring:Â
The CCTV surveillance cameras, when connected to a reputed remote live video monitoring center, give you a proactive detection of security threats before the incident worsens!
Remote video monitoring offers advanced video analytics with AI using customizable if-then-else rules on top of our advanced AI detection to create specific actions tailored to your laundry facilities.
This means you can set the AI camera to detect security breaches at specific times. For instance, individuals engaging in “lewd laundry” activities are likely to strike after 10 PM, when fewer people are doing laundry. An alarm would be triggered at the remote video monitoring station during these times.
Similarly, camera obstruction with some cloth would definitely mean someone is in for some suspicious lewd activity. You can also set the camera to detect fighting and violence.
Conclusion:Â
Preventing lewd laundry through our proven surveillance strategies will secure your laundry facility, making it a more attractive place for residents. It’s a win-win: you protect your laundry facility and boost revenue through increased rent and amenity fees!
Contact us today for a customized security solution tailored to your specific needs. Specializing in multi-family residential security, parking lot security, and even elevator security, we’ve got you covered.
