'Fort Knox': Melbourne building manager cracks down on apartment crime

A North Melbourne apartment building manager believes he's cracked the code in preventing break-ins, intruders and theft.

Sam Nivas has introduced unique security measures and told 9News they are working.

Security measures include an alarm on the entry door and car park gate that sounds if they remain open for too long, alerting the residents to any possible disturbance.

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The measures come as crime from theft apartments is up 7.1 per cent over the past 12 months.

It's also doubled in the past 10 years.

"We've got the food snatchers, we've got the car thief," Nivas said.

"We're serious about the business of protecting this building."

Resident Scott Jones noted that there were always people loitering around the building in some of the back streets and alleys.

"It kind of a just given us all a bit more confidence," he said.

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Under the security measures, there are special fob systems, internal gates and reinforced latter boxes.

Nivas said since the building became secured, they have had barely any theft or break-ins.

He added that repeat offenders are a primary focus, and the cameras can detect their faces, which are then uploaded to his database.

"People are brazen," he said.