The kind of activity that would have the entire nursing home studying together.
Qin Muâs face darkened as he looked at the results of the survey questionnaire.
This survey questionnaire... it was probably a waste of time to even ask. Recently, most of the elderly residents were addicted to attending court trials and couldnât tear themselves away. Other entertainment activities... they showed no interest in them at all. Even Zhang Qingyuan, the nursing homeâs reigning chess champion, had noticeably reduced his playing time. As for this specific suggestion they put forward... the institution was almost certainly not going to approve it. If this new entertainment project were actually added, when recruiting seniors in the future... introducing the "advantages" of our institution would probably scare a good number of people away. We surely canât say the biggest feature of our institution... is organizing the elderly to go to court, can we?
ăMountain and Water Garden District.ă
After a relaxing day at work, Qin Mu returned home. Using his âGod-Level Culinary Artsâ skill, he quickly prepared a simple meal. A delightful aroma soon filled the air; it was visually appealing and fragrant.
After the takeout incident, he rarely ordered delivery anymore. He would cook for himself whenever possible; if he didnât have time, heâd eat at a restaurant.
After eating his fill, he lay on the couch, planning to play some games. Suddenly, he saw over 99+ messages pop up in the residential communityâs group chat.
What happened?
Qin Mu was somewhat curious.
This was the main group chat for the entire Mountain and Water Garden District, including all the homeowners. Although there were many people in it, they rarely chatted. Only the property management occasionally posted announcements about water shutoffs for maintenance, disinfection schedules, road cleaning, and the like.
Since the last incident involving objects thrown from high-rise buildings, the property management of Mountain and Water Garden District had become noticeably more responsible. They now periodically organized small safety awareness campaigns, advising homeowners against throwing objects from heights, to keep dogs leashed, and so on.
"Damn it! Who the hell stole it? I just bought an iPhone 13, hadnât even touched it, and itâs gone?"
"Your package was stolen too? I bought a hairdryer online yesterday, and they also said it was missing."
"How many times has this happened this month? A few days ago, I bought a teacup, and that was stolen too."
"Even my ID card, sent from my hometown, was stolen! If I catch that thief, I swear Iâll beat him to death!"
In the main homeownersâ group chat, about a dozen residents were cursing and continuously venting their dissatisfaction.
Qin Mu scrolled through the chat history and gradually understood the situation.
These homeowners... had their online-purchased packages stolen. The thefts all occurred at the package collection point just outside the residential complex. Moreover, this wasnât the first or second time it had happened; it had occurred many times this month. The stolen items were always small, easily portable things: mobile phones, teacups, hair dryers...
"The staff at this package collection point are so irresponsible! They said the surveillance cameras have been broken for a monthâitâs been over twenty days now, and they still arenât fixed!"
"The property management too! Iâve complained to them so many times, but I havenât seen anyone make an effort to catch the thief."
"Exactly! Isnât it property managementâs duty to protect the complex and ensure the safety of homeownersâ lives and property? Are they slacking off again, is that it?"
"@Property Manager He Bimin, come out and give us an explanation! When are you going to catch this thief?"
In the group chat, the homeowners continued their demands for answers.
For them, if a package was lost before they signed for it, the actual financial loss wasnât too great. Since they hadnât signed for them, if a package was lost before receipt, they could simply claim compensation from the seller and request a new shipment. The seller, in turn, would generally have to deal with the hassle from the courier company and the package collection point. But even so, anyone would be upset if something they bought was stolen! This was especially true since the thefts were happening right near their residential complex. Not catching the thief posed a significant ongoing risk.
Before long, Property Manager He Bimin chimed in, explaining to everyone with a clear sense of grievance, "We in property management are also helpless in this situation. Weâve already arranged for increased patrols within the complex, and weâve specifically checked near the package collection point for any suspicious individuals, but we just havenât found anyone."
After the incident with Qin Mu, He Bimin had learned his lesson. Upon learning about the stolen packages, he had immediately organized property management staff to increase patrols and try to prevent further thefts. But... since the thefts occurred at the package collection point, their security staff couldnât possibly monitor the area at all times. The thieves werenât fools; if they saw property management personnel, they certainly wouldnât attempt a theft.
No surveillance?
Qin Mu frowned when he read this.
No wonder the thief hadnât been caught and the thefts were only getting more frequent. He guessed the thief must have realized this, which was why they kept stealing packages.
After thinking for a moment, he typed in the group, "Just a question, but didnât anyone call the police after their packages were stolen?"
For something like this... property management really wasnât much help. Although they were responsible for security within the residential complex, the package collection point was a storefront outside it. They couldnât possibly watch it all the time. The best solution, really, was still to call the police.
"We did call, but whatâs the use? The police came a few times, but they never found anyone!"
"Thereâs no surveillance, and the staff at the package collection point canât provide a description of the thief."
"A case was filed, but thereâs been no progress. The patrolling officers who came by even said this thief has a very strong counter-surveillance awareness; if they sense any danger, they simply wonât make a move."
"My iPhone 13! I bought it on a 36-month installment plan!"
In the homeownersâ group chat, the victims voiced their complaints again. Everyone was furious. Without surveillance, it was indeed incredibly difficult to catch the thief.