How secure is Secure Parking?
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