Thousands of condo owners at risk as thieves bypass entry-phone systems with default passcodes

Joe Rae lives in a complex that has been hit by burglars who didn’t need a crowbar or any other tools of the trade to break into the building. Instead, it appears all they had was a default passcode for the building’s entry-phone system that could easily be found online.

“It was just driving us crazy,” Rae said. “My wife was upset. I said, ‘That’s it, I can’t keep this building safe. We’ve got to sell and move.’”

Rae says the break-ins to his Maple Ridge complex occurred over a span of four months, each more brazen than the next. Cars were broken into and residents’ mail was targeted. He said the latest incident involved a possible home invasion.

“Doors can be replaced, items can be replaced, but people can get hurt over this,” Rae said.

After reviewing security footage, Rae made a startling discovery: the burglars — different each time — were bypassing the building’s entry-phone system. Rae believes they used default passcodes that are available on manufacturers’ websites.

“They put in a four-digit passcode, which is default, and they’re in,” he said. “I’ve checked up to five different manufacturers, all of them have manuals with the default codes right there.”

John Griffiths of Westridge Security in Maple Ridge said it’s up to installers to change the codes.

He also said the number of times default codes aren’t changed is concerning.

“We’ve come into a few systems where the password is just 1-2-3-4,” he said.

— With files from John Hua