2025-09-25
Teetops, operating on the edge of the legal spectrum, are a haven for many young people on a budget, often forced to resign themselves to the reality of renting. While seemingly affordable, their unstable metal roofs, landlord-built partitions, and shared electrical circuits make them high-risk areas for natural disasters and fires. Older apartments, in particular, often have interconnected rooftops, making them easy targets for thieves. With these various security holes, how can renters protect themselves and their rights? Read on for more special reports.
After a long day at work, I dragged my tired body back to my rental apartment. To relax, I had to climb to the sixth floor.
“I take a breath when I open the door, but I’ve slowly gotten used to it.”
Wu Jiaen from Malaysia: “I currently work in the news media industry. After graduating from university, I stayed in Taiwan to work, and I’m completely on my own.”
“Because my previous company was also in Neihu, I was looking for a top-end apartment in Neihu that might be under NT$8,500. Yes, I was very, very focused on finding a top-end apartment, because suites or other luxury rooms wouldn’t be available for that price.”
Working alone in a foreign country, Jiaen needed to keep a tight control on her living expenses, so she focused on the top-end apartment when searching for housing. However, she never imagined that Taipei, a city with the second-lowest crime risk in the world, would still experience a shocking burglary.
Wu Jiaen, a tenant living in a penthouse apartment, said: “As soon as I opened the door, I could see my curtains were pulled open like this. And the window, I usually leave it a little cracked, but I never open the screen. But at that moment, the screen was completely open, and it looked like this.”
Back on August 5th of this year, my roommate returned to their apartment after work and found the iron door, which had been unlocked, was unusually locked. Jiaen’s alarm bells immediately went off, and when she returned to her apartment, her money was gone.
Wu Jiaen, a tenant living in a penthouse apartment, said: “When I checked, all my red envelopes were opened, and there was no cash inside. Yes, (How much money did you lose?) Converted to NT$15,000.”
Including Jiaen, three rooms were burglarized, totaling over NT$100,000. Although time has passed, the fear was already planted in her heart.
The police said the thief entered through this window, and that’s a route we couldn’t have imagined. We hadn’t thought he’d come in this way.
Wu Jiaen, a penthouse tenant, said: “For about five or six days after the incident, I didn’t open the windows or even the curtains. I felt like someone was watching me at all times. During the first week, I seriously considered moving somewhere else. However, moving to a private room or suite would likely double the rent.”
According to statistics from the National Police Agency, from January to July 2014, there were 2,158 residential burglaries, of which “residential burglaries” accounted for the highest proportion, at 51.62%. Based on police experience, the risk of penthouses is second only to that of lower floors.
Huang Shangwei, Deputy Chief of the Investigation Team at the Taoyuan Police Station, said, “On the first three floors, a burglar can easily assess the situation. He’ll see if doors are closed and windows are locked. Moving up, the middle floors are less likely to be targeted by burglars. Going up further, the top floor and rooftop additions are another high-risk location for burglars.”
Reporter Liu Yipin: “City life is challenging. To save on rent, many young people choose rooftop additions as their base. However, in many older apartments, rooftops are often interconnected, lack security, and have many hidden safety holes, making them easy targets for thieves.”
Huang Shangwei, Deputy Chief of the Investigation Team at the Taoyuan Police Station, said, “For a suspect, once he gets up from the left, this entire row of buildings represents potential opportunity cost targets. He can work his way up to see if any of the rooftop additions are worth burglarizing.”
Associate Professor, Department of Criminology, Ming Chuan University Wang Po-Chi : “We often see a similar situation, especially in older communities where the main door locks might be broken. Or perhaps, based on trust, they feel that since everyone knows each other, they don’t lock the doors.”
Furthermore, structural weaknesses in roofs are also a common target for thieves.
Liu Zhipeng, Director of the Home Systems Department at a security company, said: “We often see cases where thieves use hydraulic shears to directly damage the metal, cutting a hole and getting in unnoticed.”
We asked security experts for further advice on how to reduce the risk of theft.
Liu Zhipeng, Director of the Home Systems Department at the security company, said, “Basically, we install our magnetic switch devices on doors and windows. When the door or window is pushed or opened, the magnetic spring senses it. If a thief breaks through the first line of defense and reaches the second, we still have a second line of defense: infrared body temperature detection.”
The most important function of the body temperature sensor is that if someone moves in front of the security system when it is configured, it will transmit this abnormal signal through the host computer to our control center. We can then implement measures such as replacing electronic locks, installing surveillance cameras, or adding sensor lights at entrances and exits to reduce the chances of being targeted by thieves.
Huang Shangwei, Deputy Chief of the Investigation Team at the Taoyuan Police Precinct, said: “If possible, we can install a small camera. Door locks can’t be easily replaced, but we should implement some basic security enhancements. Furthermore, in general, we recommend creating signs that someone is inside your home.”
Wang Po-Chi, Associate Professor of the Department of Criminal Justice at Ming Chuan University, said: “In criminology, within the crime prevention perspective, there’s a concept called situational crime prevention. Simply put, through various measures, we provide security for certain objects, thereby reducing the likelihood of theft of valuable items.”
Not only is rooftop security difficult to prevent, it’s also a high-risk area for natural disasters and fires. Beyond technological assistance, with increased tenant vigilance and landlords’ attentiveness, young people can feel safe living in the city.