Locksmith Blog

  There have been several press reports and on television recently about a weakness in the locks on UPVC doors. In some UK areas, notably West Yorkshire, Police are reporting that thieves are clearly exploiting this weakness. This is a growing problem throughout the country. No special tools are needed, and a burglar can break these Euro Profile Cylinders in a matter of seconds. Although we know the methods used, we will not disclose them in detail as a precaution against “copy-cat" burglaries. This type of lock is commonly known as a Euro Profile Cylinder and is used worldwide on uPVC, PVCu, aluminum, and some wooden doors. However secure or elaborate the multi-point locking mechanism is, it is the cylinder that is the vulnerable area. The cylinder is the part…

    The sight of a uPVC door on your home immediately acts as a potent visual deterrent. Burglars know that not only are these doors more secure than their wooden counterparts, they are also fitted with multipoint locks: a locking mechanism that secures from several points (from a basic 3 point to the ultimate 7 or 10 points).An experienced burglar can force a wooden door open in a matter of seconds. They only have one security point (the mortice lock) situated in the center of the door. The same potential burglar, faced with a multipoint locking mechanism, does not know where the door’s weak areas are - their job is 3 to 10 times more difficult. For this reason, homes fitted with security such as this are unlikely to…

Unfortunately, car theft and car break-ins are a part of life. And even the newest cars with state of the art security systems can not keep the thieves at bay. Auto security devices Luckily, you can take a few measures to make sure your car and its belongings do not become another crime statistic. First and foremost, your car should have an alarm. Car security will often come down to which has the best security equipment. If your car has an alarm and a steering lock in place, most thieves will move onto a car that is not so well secured. So, having these two car security devices in place is a good idea. There are also plenty of other auto security devices you can choose from, including wheel clamps,…

Locking your business's doors at the end of the day allows you to go home and enjoy other aspects of your life. When you turn that key in the lock, you expect your business to stay safe until you return. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case for many business owners. There are professionals out there that know how to get a door unlocked, and they slip in undetected. It is often necessary to give keys to the building to some of your employees. Occasionally those keys are lost or stolen from such individuals. There are also disgruntled employees with keys to your business who have walked out on the job or were fired. It is costly to have to re-key all of the locks to prevent any issues from arising due…

Not so long ago, people did not feel the need to lock their doors or windows. But times have changed, and so needs to use locks for protection. According to the National Crime Prevention Council, most individuals do not have the proper lock security. Only half of Americans have dead-bolt locks on all of the entry doors to their homes, and nearly one in five have none at all. The National Crime Prevention Council recommends checking and updating old locks on all doors and windows and replacing them with ones that protect keys from duplicated without your knowledge, such as Medeco Security Locks. Also, it advises you to make sure your locks have a long enough bolt so that the door cannot be pried open. Installing quality locks is the…

You have probably spent a great deal of time planning your vacation. You have researched hotels, you found the best price on airfare, you arranged a rental car, and you might have even planned out an itinerary. There is one important detail that you have probably forgotten. Have you planned for the security of your home while you are gone? Empty houses are a magnet for thieves. If you would like to make sure that everything is still in your home when you get back, some steps should be taken. Make Your Home Look Lived In The most important thing you can do to keep your home safe is to make it look like you never left. Don't leave obvious signs that you are on vacation. Have a friend or…

As animals do various things to provide security for their home, man being an animal is no different. He does a lot towards the improvement and security of his home. History shows that man from the beginning of time covered the entrance to their caves with large boulders, preventing any animal or rain, snow, or any other severe climate effects. As time moved forward and he could train animals like dogs, he found a guard for his home. After the invention of doors, locks, and keys made his home safer. But over time, with the evolution of the human brain, there also came an increase in crime. A simple lock was not enough to protect his home. With the enhancement in technology, various new means of home protection was introduced. According…

Source: Flickr When you don't have the right key, lock picking is a great way to open just about any lockout there. Normally, picking locks is something we associate with crime and illegal activities, although crime isn't always the case. There are a lot of instances where locking picking skills can come in real handy. Take, for instance, a lost house key or locking your car keys inside your car. Even though you could always break a window, calling a professional locksmith is the best to go - it can save you a lot of money in repairs and get the lock open fast. To properly pick a lock, you'll need the right tool kit. Even the most basic lock picking kit will contain a lock pin and a tension…

Some prisons have been known to teach locksmith skills to inmates. There has been some controversy over this for obvious reasons. Why would prison officials give someone the tools to become an even better criminal? To learn the craft, the group has access to tools that can be made into weapons. Prisoners are quite creative in learning how to make and hide weapons. They're also creative in the weapons they do make with what few tools they are provided. So, allowing the prisoners to become locksmiths not only teaches them a skill to enhance criminal behavior, but it also provides access to something that could later harm another inmate, guard, or nurse. But there has been much information and attention on reforming criminals instead of merely housing them during their…

Who Has The Keys To Your Home? What can you do to safeguard your home if your house keys accidentally end up in the wrong hands? That's a question nearly two out of every three American homeowners should consider closely, according to a new study. The study, Danger at America's Doorstep: Who Has Keys to Your Home? I looked at how homeowners protect--or fail to protect--their house keys and safeguard their home. The survey found that a majority (64 percent) of American homeowners have knowingly circulated their house keys outside of their immediate family, and nearly one-third (27 percent) of American homeowners have given out a key three or more times. Every 15 seconds, a burglar breaks into a house, apartment, or condo in the U.S. Burglars are often quick…