How secure is Secure Parking?

The facts: The day was Jan. 23, 2001, after 4 p.m. I had to buy a few things at a nearby Hero supermarket located in front of Vila Melati Mas, Serpong, Tangerang. About two years ago, Secure Parking established their parking facility at this Hero outlet. So I paid the Rp 1000 parking fee and was given the parking ticket (serial number 557002). Accompanied by my wife, I spend around five minutes in the supermarket for my purchases.

Returning to my vehicle, an ISUZU panther, I discovered the door lock had been tampered with. Also my office bag, containing a mobile phone Palmtop, personal and company documents, and some cash; and my wife's handbag, containing her mobile phone, personal belongings and some cash, were gone. My office bag had been on the second row seat and my wife's handbag had been on the floor of the vehicle. Obviously someone had forced opened the vehicle to steal my belongings. A driver of another car saw the thief escaping through the back entrace of the parking lot, passing the parking attendant and security guard.

Of course I reported the theft to the parking attendant and was rather harsh in my words to the security guard as well. What are they there for? However, they accompanied me to the police station to report the matter. I am not expecting to recover my belongings as the total value of the stolen items is above Rp 15 million and will be a good source of income for the thief. Nevertheless, the police were very helpful and concerned, and appeared to be very competent too, unlike what I hear from my friends.

The question is, how secure is Secure Parking? I do not know whether you have read the parking ticket you get when entering their parking lots, which are found at almost every prominent area in Jakarta. The ticket states, among others:

- If you lose this ticket, you have to present documents to prove that the vehicle belongs to you and pay a Rp 15,000 administration fee.

- We are not liable for damage or disappearance of your vehicle.

- You are responsible for the insurance of the vehicle and the items in it.

- Do not leave any valuables or this ticket in the vehicle.

I believe this is self-explanatory. But what am I paying Secure Parking for? For the facilities they provide? The imported parking machines, computers, locally-built entrance posts, local staff employed and for the luxury cars of the president of Secure Parking? The land is rented from the owner, damages to the parking lot caused by rain or other forces of nature are neglected, and security is for sure not given. And last but not least, the usual whistling accompanied by the terus-terus, kanan, terus ("move on, move on, right, move on ..") order of the parking attendant is also missing. So what is the money for, and what service is the company providing for its customers?

GERRY STIEGER

Tangerang, Banten