When to call a locksmith

This is a piece I really should not have to write, but all too often, people call me out for reasons that could easily be avoided or they have called me out too late for an expensive repair, when avoiding the problem was possible.

Common reasons to avoid using a locksmith:

A C Locksmiths Norfolk

So, let’s start with cars. If you are going to lose your car keys, or lock them inside your car, the chances are, you are going to do it when your spare key is stuck back home at the opposite end of the country.  I have done a fair few jobs now where people have been on holiday/visiting distant relatives/doing distance work, etc and they leave their spare car key at home rather than bring it with them to leave in their temporary accommodation. Car entry is not cheap, and it might mean you lose a half day waiting for the auto locksmith to arrive, which will put a downer on your holiday, or might mean you have to see those distant relatives for longer than you wanted, or that you lose the sale you travelled halfway across the country to get. At the same time, please remember to actually remove the spare key from your car when you arrive at your destination. If you are locked out of your vehicle, having the spare in the glove box is no help.

The next common one with cars, is not having a spare. When I am cutting keys at local boot sales, people ask me about prices and sometimes, the spare key is as nearly as much as their second hand car cost them in the first place. But why buy a car with only one key, especially when that key is on its’ last legs? A bargain vehicle only remains a bargain if you can drive it. I also get to see some very sorry looking remote fobs for cars. Cloning a remote fob before it gets to be useless can be a lot cheaper than generating a complete new key from scratch, especially with Fords that must always have two separate keys programmed when starting from new. And, as I said above, a spare is useless if you keep it in the glove compartment.

Never, never, never put your car keys down in your boot area. So many people open their boot at the supermarket, put the keys just inside the boot and then load the shopping. They then close the boot, having not unlocked the rest of the car and are now locked out, often with the spare in the glove compartment! (Have I mentioned that common mistake?) If you are approaching your car, when you unlock your boot, make it a habit to unlock the doors as well. And do not put your keys down anywhere in your vehicle. It might not be cool to hang your keys from a belt loop, but it might just save you the cost of a weekly family shop if you don’t have to call the locksmith. When in and around your car, only let go of the keys when they are in the ignition, and you are sat comfortably ready to drive.

People make just as many mistakes in the home. Children should never be given keys to play with. Besides the whole hygiene issue, they have a nasty habit of sticking keys into keyholes that they were not built for, thus breaking the key and often the lock as well. While on the subject of kids, if you have a bathroom lock that is getting a bit stiff, have it repaired or replaced before a small child locks himself/herself in and you are faced with hours of panic waiting for the locksmith to arrive. I recently went to a job where a toddler had locked himself in the bathroom and the lock disintegrated, with the broken bits obstructing the bits that needed to move. You can imagine the stress that poor child was under when I came along with my noisy drills and hammers, taking my time to ensure nothing flew open into the child’s face.

Got a night latch (Yale type latch lock)? Don’t trust the snib to hold that latch back even if you are just popping into the garden for a few minutes. Take your key. Pets and children are very good at closing doors with enough vibration to release the latch and lock you out with themselves on the inside and pans on the cooker (it can and does happen).

If you have a door with a multipoint locking system, oil it twice a year. Make it part of your routine when you change the clocks in spring and autumn. Use a good quality lubricant and squirt it everywhere you can see moving parts (lift the handles up and down with the door open to see) and then, when you hold the handles down to retract the latch, you will see a small gap the allows you squirt more lubricant into the heart of the mechanism. Give this about a five second squirt and work the handles up and down a few times to get the lubricant into those moving parts. This simple exercise can save you a very expensive visit from your locksmith.

Lubricate all other locks as well. They get full of grit. Insects make nests behind handles and in lock cavities. Regular lubrication will keep your lock clean and lasting longer.

Finally, I get a lot of calls from customers telling me their key works on one side of the lock (Chubb/mortice locks), but not the other. My first reaction is to tell them to try a different key and more often than not, that sorts out the problem. They have just managed to bend a prong on the key itself. Always check other keys before thinking your lock is broken. Not all locksmiths will give you a free solution over the phone.

 

If you have any questions regarding the information above, or have any other issues, please get in touch via my contacts page.

 

Thanks for reading.

 

 

 

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admin October 9, 2017

auto locksmith Norfolk / Lost car keys / stolen keys / Who you gonna call? A C Locksmiths /

Scandinavian Locks

All about Scandinavian locks

All abount Scandanavian locks

While Scandinavian multi-point locking mechanisms are not very common in Norfolk, there are enough of them to warrant a mention.

The locks look something like this :

Scandanavian locks
These locks operate with a mechanism that typically employs two hooks that come out from the door and fit into specially cut spaces within the door frame, just like many upvc doors. They are always fitted to wooden doors, which is where the problems start.

In Scandinavian countries they are geared up for cold, damp weather and treat woods accordingly. Here in the UK, we seem to use any wood going and think a coat of paint or varnish will be adequate. That works okay for standard locks where all the working parts are protected within a lock case, but locking mechanisms have exposed moving parts which get pinched and moved by doors that expand and contract in wet weather. The untreated inside of UK doors holds water like a sponge, right next to the metal of these mechanisms which quickly become prone to rust. The problem is compounded by the fact that there used to be several variants of these mechanisms available, but now all but one design have been discontinued, meaning that if your mechanism does go wrong, the replacement is likely to be different. An example being a job I have recently done where everything looked identical, but the door needed much chisel work to accept the replacement.

Scandanavian locks 2

The next problem is cost. These units are extremely expensive.  A complete set up can cost between £250 and £400 depending on who you use to fit the device with labour and VAT to be added to that figure.

Finally, these locks are not particularly secure. While many insurance companies will accept them as adequate, they do not get the British Standard 3621 rating I would recommend to feel properly protected.

If you think you might have Scandinavian locks and they have not been serviced recently, it might well be worth contacting your local locksmith to have a look at them, especially if they are hard to lock, or the handles have gone floppy. A little maintenance now, might save a lot of cost later, or at least alert you to the likely cost of replacement, rather than have it all come as a shock when you can least afford it.

Should you have any questions regarding the above information, please feel free to get in touch via any of the methods on my contacts page.

Thanks for reading.

admin August 20, 2016

insurance standard locks / What are Scandinavian locks /

Locksmith Pricing

What are you paying for with your local locksmith?

A C Locksmiths Norfolk
I have recently had a couple of customers who have questioned the prices I charge for my work. With that in mind, I felt it might be important to explain why some things can seem expensive.

I’m sure none of my customers begrudge me making a profit, but I also understand that it might feel like you are being overcharged if the product I supply you is more expensive than you can buy elsewhere. Therefore, I want to break down the cost as a policy of openness and fairness for my customers. It’s worth pointing out here, that to my knowledge I am still the only locksmith in the area willing to put prices on my website.

If we take a British Standard 5 lever mortice sash lock, I know that on the day of writing this, I can go to the two main DIY superstores and pick up the same product with a ten pounds price difference. Same brand, same product code, but one charges ten pounds more. I can then go to a local DIY store and get a similar product, with a lesser known brand name, but for twenty pounds more than the highest of the two big chain stores. As a specialist, I supply a product that I know is better than those you can get in any of these shops, even though the chain stores use a well-known brand name. And yes, my price is slightly higher than the local DIY shop.  The big shops have huge buying power. They can get incredible discounts through bulk orders, brand exclusivity and offsetting profits and loss against other products in store. If they couldn’t do that, their prices would have to be closer to the local store. To maximise his profit, the local store owner has to purchase generally cheaper products and still charge a lot more than the chain stores. I run my business from a van. I cannot keep huge quantities of stock and have to go through a dedicated supplier to get my parts, who also wants to make a profit. I could charge less and supply poor quality products, but I want my customers to recommend me to their friends and therefore I have to supply market leading products.

There is another way to get your locks, though. You can get branded products online much cheaper even than the chain stores. Internet businesses are springing up all over the place. These people can really undercut the rest. They get your orders shipped straight from the supplier, so they have no storage costs. They don’t have vehicle costs or virtually any overheads at all so they can really drive the price down. But you really need to know what you are looking for. Is your mortice sash lock a 2.5 inch or a 3 inch model? If you are changing brand, is the new one going to fit in place of the old one, or are you going to have to do some chisel work to fit it? What you save in cash with these people, you might well find you are suddenly spending in new tools, time and effort to fit your new lock. And all the time you may be sweating and your partner looking over your shoulder, telling you that you should have simply called a locksmith! And that’s after you have waited a day or two for the part to even arrive. Did they include VAT in the head line price? Is shipping twice the price of the actual lock once you have clicked through too many pages to be bothered to cancel the order?

All this means that the price I charge you covers my own purchase of the part (at a higher rate than the chain stores), the storage of many less regularly needed items just in case something needs to be replaced on a bank holiday (for example) and there is going to be no way to get a replacement, the peace of mind that the product I supply is of top quality and won’t break in a month, the peace of mind that if something does go wrong with my supplied product within the guarantee period, that I will be able to replace it for you without any fuss or demands of extra money and in most instances, gives me the ability to have the part you want when you want it, or at least a temporary fix until I can get the required part.

The other payment I ask you for is my labour, It’s fixed at £50.00 and has been for the previous two years. That means morning, noon or night, you pay me £50.00 whether  I take five minutes or five hours. I don’t charge more for weekends or bank holidays, I don’t charge more if I don’t have what you need on board and have to come out a second time and I don’t charge for security checks.   It’s simple and easy;  Considering that when you factor in that my average travel time to a job is around 30 mins (1 hour round trip), and that my labour fee also covers replacement of worn out tools, fuel and car maintenance, there is very little actual profit from this fee.

All this means that yes, I do turn a profit. But I believe my profit is fair. I am happy to break down the costs of every job with my customers if they desire.

Should you have any questions regarding the above or any of my other blogs, please feel free to get in touch via any of the methods on my contacts page.

Thanks for reading.

admin June 14, 2016

What are you paying for with your local locksmith? / Why get a professional locksmith? /

Winter Lock Maintenance

Just recently, a well known chain of shops who specialise in things like car parts, bikes and camping equipment, etc., have been offering free winter checks for your car. As soon as my wife saw it, she told me, I should take my car in. . . .  I put it off. She told me again.. . . .  I put it off again. She told me more forcefully, especially when she knew I had passed the shop.

Eventually, I relented and took my car for its winter check. Surprise, surprise, the free winter check resulted in me having to buy stuff like oil and power steering fluid. And the thing is, I knew it would, that’s why I was putting it off. But as it turns out, my oil was really low. It might not have been long before I did some serious damage to my engine, and that would have really cost me money, not only on my vehicle, but lost business, etc. So, let’s accept that the shop in question is doing this free check because they know it will generate business, but I must say, they do it in a great way. There was no; “You must buy our products,” or “Our products are better for your car.” No, it was a simple check and I was shown what was needed. If I wanted to go elsewhere, that was fine. At the end of the day, I could have done all the checks myself, and then got the stuff I needed from anywhere, but again, I was putting it off, because I knew that as soon as I did that check, it would cost me money.

AC Locksmiths Norfolk

Look after your locks;

Now I am ashamed to admit, that I was guilty of doing the same thing I see my customers doing with locks. We can feel when they are not working right, and yet time and again, we know that if we get them looked at, or recognise there is a problem, it will cost money. But the alternative could be so much worse. When your locks get stiff (and many do this time of year), adjusting small bits now, could potentially save you the cost of a new lock.

I worked on a multi-point locking mechanism this week that was nearly seized up. The customer had taken ten minutes that morning to get the thing open. Now, I had fitted this mechanism a few years ago and know that when I fitted it I told the customer to oil it every six months. But the customer didn’t want to buy a can of oil spray just to use every now and then. And so they waited until things got difficult, incurring my labour charge rather than a few quid and a minute every six months. It could have been worse, because the unit could have failed completely and that would have cost even more! I know what it is like to have to juggle the pennies, but by catching problems early, it makes financial sense to get them sorted when the cost will be minimal.

Health checks aren’t just for people –

So, if your locks are showing any sign of being problematic, call me for a free health check. Honestly, I know I am coming to your house because the problem will likely make me a little money, but the chances are, it will save you more money in the long run, so we both win. And if you listen to what I say and think you can deal with the problem yourself, or want to get any products elsewhere, that’s fine too. 

I recently upgraded a customer’s locks as they did not meet insurance standards. Her friend wanted the old locks for some internal doors and I was happy to help, I even gave the old locks a service to keep them running longer. The point is, I am not going to insist you have new products or even have me to do the work. I will give you honest advice, and if you accept my advice I will carry out the work in the most cost effective way for you.

If you have any questions or wish to arrange a security check or lock health check, please contact me via any of the means on the contacts page.

Thanks for reading

admin February 6, 2015

Lock maintenance / saving money /

Commercial Locksmith Norfolk

On my outings as an average shopper, I cannot help but look at the locks I pass. I find myself guessing how quickly I think I could get into a lock should the owners lose their keys. For many shops and businesses, the estimate is scarily quickly, and I am not thinking about using power tools either, because it is my job to try and think like a burglar and they want to be in and out as quick as possible.  

Just think about this for a minute: The intruder of a shop can usually see exactly what he wants or can legally enter and scout the shop during opening hours, so once he is through the door, it takes very little time to get what he wants and leave before anyone knows anything about it. He does not have to search room to room as he would in a house and so theft is much easier.  

Warehouse type businesses have great big doors, often with ram-posts behind to stop them being driven through, but if the office door is easy to attack, then what is the point of the other security. It has to be all or nothing. 

Complacency is easy, after all isn’t that why we have insurance? But insurance companies are businesses themselves and they are also about making money, so if they have to pay out for your loss, have a stiff drink ready for when your renewal time comes around. Or be prepared for business upheaval when they list a string of new measures to be put in place so that you can continue to be insured.  

So, what is to stop you having the best security you can?  

Is cost a factor? No. Quite simply, making sure your premises is as secure as it can be, is a business cost and therefore should be tax deductible. Yes, you may need to pay for it now, but the cost can be offset when you put your tax return in and therefore reduces your tax bill.  

Will it interfere with my customers? Not so. Most residential or commercial locksmiths will work outside of normal business hours, so your customers won’t be inconvenienced and a CRB should tell you the locksmith is trustworthy should you want to go home yourself. I personally would be quite happy to work late into the night to get the job done if it was needed. 

So what measures might one take? 

Firstly, just about all new business premises have double glazed doors, be they UPVC or of metal construction. Unless they have a kite marked cylinder, they are easy to break into without power tools. Have these changed as a priority and ask your locksmith for a 3 star rated cylinder as these really are the best of the best. 

If your business is based in an older building, how about fitting a magnetic lock with remote fobs? The power can be switched off during opening hours and then the staff who need to get in at opening times simply zap the device which will cut the power allowing entry.  

Don’t rely on security grilles either. Inside ones are better as the locks face away from the intruder and cannot be got at easily, but the big shop front grilles are only as good as the locks and many can be picked in the same way a standard rim cylinder (‘Yale’) can be. And if they are held in place by padlocks, then the quality of the padlock needs to be of a suitable standard. I wouldn’t spend less than £60 for a top European rated one that will really slow the attacker down.  

Of course we know that nothing is impervious to attack, but the idea is to make it as hard as possible. But what if they do get in? Do you have an alarm? And if you do, is it one that just rings, hoping for a passer by to actually contact someone who can investigate? How long will it be before you actually find out your business in under attack? There are now wireless systems that can send a message direct to your phone as soon as the alarm is triggered so you can act immediately. 

There is CCTV that does the same; sending you direct images of what is happening in real time. And again, wireless technology makes these systems easy to install with minimum disruption. 

So, why be a victim? If you own your business property, make sure your assets are protected. If you don’t own it, ask your landlord to make sure your property is up to scratch.  

You can talk to me about any of the above issues by any of the means on our contact page. 

Thanks for reading. 
AC Locksmiths Norfolk

admin March 11, 2014

Business locksmiths / Commercial Locksmiths / Security advice /

Rented properties with sub-standard locks.

Rented properties with sub-standard locks. 

Last night I was called to replace a lock because the old one had failed. Both the landlord and tenant of the property were present which made life convenient when showing them that the old lock did not meet insurance standards. So, had the lock not failed, and at some point the property became another burglary statistic, the insurance company would not have had to pay out. If you are a tenant renting a property, make sure your landlord has insurance rated locks in place. If you don’t know what to look for, call a professional. Any decent locksmith will check for you free of charge or at least go through the signs with you over the phone. If you are a landlord, put insurance standard locks to all final exit doors of your properties and then use that as a selling point. It should be tax deductible, so why not do it?

Benefits of the three main types of lock at insurance standard (Or BS3621):-

  • On a wooden door, you normally have a Night latch (Yale) type lock and/or a mortice (Chubb) lock. There are many brands but Yale and Chubb seem to be the ones people use most. Night latch; If you cannot see a kite mark, then it either needs replacing or there should be another lock on the door that does have a kite mark. A BS3621 rated Night latch will have a protective surround to the key hole, which when fitted correctly, will be reinforced by additional screws set into the inside of the door. This surround makes attack by drilling a lot harder. It has more pins than the standard cylinders making it a lot harder to pick and ‘bump’. It also automatically deadlocks when the door is closed, making sure nothing can be slipped between the door and frame to open it that way. They can also have a key operation on the inside, which means if a burglar breaks in through a window, he cannot carry anything out the easy way through your door (although whenever you lock it from the inside, you should be sure where the key is in case of fire). There is also a push button snib, which, while not an insurance requirement, does have its advantages as readers of previous blogs will be aware.
  • The mortice lock; These are the ones I find to be most lacking on rented properties. If you look at the lock where it sits in the leading edge of the door, the absolute minimum requirement is that it is a five lever lock and it will usually say so. Sometimes the locks are so old and dirty, it is hard to see. Ideally it will have a kite mark which will bring it up to insurance standards. But beware, because I have come across a couple of instances where the faceplate of a five lever lock has been put on a lesser model. If anything looks mis-matched, then investigate further. If you remove the lock from your door, a genuine BS3621 will reveal the following features – The bolt itself will have some sort of anti-saw feature. This may either be rollers running through it or a compound designed to stick to a hack-saw blade (you can tell this by the bolt having alternate layers of metal and black material. You will also find an extra thickness of metal. This is an anti-drill plate that hinders even the best drill bits. Around the top of the key hole you will find a tube that goes through the lock. This is called an anti-pick curtain that prevents lock picks being used. Also inside they have ‘traps’ that also hinder anyone trying to manipulate the levers. In the break ins I have attended where these locks were fitted, the door and frame have always failed before the lock and that is why they are so good.
  • UPVC doors and ‘composite’ doors usually have a Euro cylinder lock. For those who have not read my previous blogs, despite all the hooks, rollers and shoot bolts that go with these doors, it has been demonstrated by the BBC and West Yorkshire police that if you have a standard Euro cylinder lock barrel on these doors, then an intruder can get into your home in just 39 seconds with no power tools at all. That’s less time than it takes some people who have keys, to get in after a night out! It is here that you need to check your insurance policy carefully because BS3621 rated cylinders have only been around for a short time. If your insurance states a five lever lock, it is NOT referring to the amount of hooks and bolts and rollers on a UPVC door. Five levers is regarding a mortice lock. (See above). But if your insurance states BS3621 on all final exit doors then each lock must at the very least display a kite mark and for these locks you will see it just below the key hole. The standard cylinders are held in by a single screw and the metal around them is very thin, making them easy to snap if you know what to do. So, even if your insurance does not require BS3621, you should change these locks as a matter of personal piece of mind.But even within these locks there are various levels of strength. The ones I prefer to use have the top ranking and I have yet to see them in the shops. I use them for the following reasons. The easiest way to get past the standard style of Euro cylinder is to snap it (possible with the correct tools) and even the so called ‘anti-snap’ products have been shown to break if enough force is applied  – remember the burglar is not worried about damage to the door itself. While the anti-pick and anti-drill features of the kite marked euro-cylinders are better than the standard, the lock I use has a dimpled key and this design makes everything harder. It also prevents ‘bumping’ and therefore just about every type of attack the burglar employs is rendered almost useless. I say almost useless because at the end of the day, a very determined burglar will always find a way in, but they know as soon as they see this lock it going to be hassle and therefore are more likely to move on to the next easier target.

Away from insurance issues, if you have a UPVC door that only has rollers to engage when you lift the handles, then this also needs looking at. Rollers can be popped out of position by someone who knows how, so upgrading to a mechanism that has hooks or good size bolts is also something that should be considered.

If you would like to discuss any of information contained in this blog, please call or email. You can find all our details on the contacts page.

Thanks for reading.

admin February 26, 2014

Crime prevention / insurance standard locks / Rented property /

Locked Out – Who you gonna call?

One of the most common problems I come up against is people accidentally sliding the snib that activates the latch on a Yale-type lock. Because people do not realise they have done this, the door is hard to close and is then slammed shut and forgotten about until the key holder returns to find their key does not turn the lock.

Once the door has been closed with the latch activated, the only way to de-activate it is from the inside; the key will not work until this has been done. Locksmiths carry tools to manipulate the inner latch from the outside, but the door needs to have a good size letter box, and some light on the subject is particularly useful – as locksmiths may use mirrors to help see what they are doing. The pressure put on the latch when the door has slammed, can make the snib very stiff to manipulate.

Sometimes the only way to get past this problem (this really is the last resort) is to drill out the front part of the lock, and remove it before taking up a heavy masonry chisel and smashing the rear part of the lock off from the outside, which runs the risk of damaging the door as the fixing screws are ripped out.

The way to avoid the possibility of this happening is to invest in a British Standard auto-deadlocking night latch. These have the same, general operation as the standard night latch or “Yale” type locks, but with a few differences; Firstly, they are more resistant to picking, drilling and other forms of attack, making them much more secure. You can only use the latch mechanism when the bolt is retracted, making all the above problems go away in one fell swoop, and because of this, the normal sliding snib is replaced by a push button that can only be operated when the bolt is being held back, so no accidental operation.

The other great thing about these locks is their longevity. In my time as a locksmith, I have attended mechanical failures of mortice locks, upcv cylinders and standard yale locks on a fairly regular basis. In fact, most of my work involves replacing faulty locks of the above types, but so far, I have only had to get into one British Standard Night latch, which I am thankful for because the toll on my tools was impressive, making it a great bit of kit to deter unwanted intruders.

While these locks are not cheap, they can save the cost of a more expensive door repair should the accidental snib slide happen to you.

Thanks for reading.

admin January 27, 2014

Locked Out /

Keep Your Home Secure at Christmas

With the big day approaching, no one wants to add to their stress by thinking too much about home security, but it is a time when we spend long periods away visiting relatives leaving our homes vulnerable to possible burglars.

Nothing advertises an empty house more than Christmas lights that have been put up but not switched on, or are on during the day, so make sure your lights have a timer. If you have lights that have electrical leads coming into your house, it is easy to forget to lock the windows where the lead comes in, so double check this has been done, especially on wooden windows, as the lead can be used to pull the window open enough to get a tool in that might be able to manipulate the handles from the outside.

Check your insurance documentation. Many insurers are now stating that locks be rated BS 3621. That means whether your door is wooden, upvc or metal, the lock should have a distinct kite mark. The insurance sellers might not tell you this at point of sale, and most of my security upgrades are the result of people actually reading the policy documents and finding they were not covered. While rare, burglaries do happen in Norfolk. Yale have a mobile phone application that will tell you how many burglaries have occurred in the last month within a mile of any post code you enter. Its free and easy to use so worth downloading. Not to scare you but to just be aware.

Finally, AC Locksmiths would like to wish all our customers and blog readers a safe, secure, and a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

 

admin December 23, 2013

Home security at Christmas /

Staying Safe and Secure.

Almost half of all vehicle thefts are carried out by criminals who have gained access to the victim’s keys. This can either be by the keys being lifted from the owner’s person, e.g. pockets or picked, or handbags stolen, or from the owner’s home. I am constantly finding homes where keys are left on the inside of the front door or placed on a unit near to the front door. With telescopic magnets now easily available, these are very easy for thieves to get at and steal your car from outside your house.
I know it is very convenient to have your keys to hand as you leave the house, but please put them in a draw, or have some sort of barrier that hides them from any line of sight through your letterbox. (Not forgetting that a small mirror can be used to see anything to the sides.)
This does not just apply to the cars either; If a would-be burglar can see your keys on the inside of your door, he can get them and gain entry – thus making even the best of locks worthless. I have used this method several times when people have locked themselves out, I may be a professional locksmith but if I can do this then others can too! It is just too easy for those with a bit of knowledge or determination to do.

When you are out, there are some other ways to protect yourself. The busy shopping period is now in full swing and crowded shopping centres are a haven for light fingered pick-pockets and bag snatchers so here are some useful tips:

  • Put your wallet in a different pocket to your usual one – the different feel will hopefully alert you if someone tries to take it.
  • A karabiner style keyring that screws up, attached to your belt loop, will make keys harder to snatch. You can attach this via a cord to your keys in your pocket.
  • Only take what you really need in your handbag – address books and personal information should be left at home, if possible. If you lose your bag with keys and your home information you will have to change your locks.
  • Check wallets and purses for sensitive information. Is your credit card pin number hidden inside the same wallet as your card?
  • Keep cards and cash in separate pockets and wallets – this way if one gets stolen you still have the other for emergency use.
  • Look around and behind you before entering your pin into any terminal. Take the time to see if anyone is interested in what you are typing.
  • Keep a tight hold on the strap of your bag, or if you are carrying lots of bags of shopping, put your handbag into one of the shopping bags so it is not easy to snatch from your shoulder.
  • If you have a personal alarm, don’t carry it in the depths of your handbag. Make sure it is in easy quick reach so that you may get to it quickly should you need it.
  • Regularly check your pockets for your valuables. Pat your pockets, etc.
  • It’s great to look nice when you are out, but is it worth advertising your personal wealth and making you a target? Make regular trips to lock away your shopping in your car so you are not carrying too much. A laden, smart dressed shopper is a more obvious target.
  • If you leave stuff in your car, make sure it is hidden in the boot and that you have a parcel shelf (if you have an estate or hatch back).
  • Show your car is well protected by investing in bright coloured steering locks, etc that can be seen from a distance and stop the opportunist singling out your vehicle.
  • Be wary of groups milling around or anyone looking remotely suspicious.

There are also ways to look after your personal safety as the party season gets into full swing.

  • Don’t make yourself a target by going off on your own.
  • If you do have to go home alone, keep to lighted areas even if it means an extra ten minutes to your route.
  • Make a mental note of where to find places with more people. If you feel you are being followed, the nearest late night take away might be a safe haven until the danger has passed.
  • Always keep enough money back for a cab.
  • Only use licensed cabs.
  • If your friends have a tendency to go off with others and leave you alone then ditch them and find friends who are not so selfish as to leave you vulnerable.
  • If it’s your young adults that are out then try be understanding. Better you get out of bed at 4.00am to pick them up and know they are safe, than get up at 6.00am to find the police at your door.  
  • If for any reason you are being attacked, try and get an object like a car between you and your attacker, so you can see them and whichever way they go, you can just circle the car to get away.
  • In the worst case scenario, shout “Fire!” repeatedly. People are more likely to look out of their windows if there is a chance of personal danger.

 

There are obviously many more tips on staying safe personally but using common sense is your best ally. It would be great to live in a completely safe world but by using common sense, we become less of a target. Although no-one should ever blame themselves for what has happened to them, almost every victim can say: “If only I had not done this….” or “If only I had done…” and those sentences usually finish with something very basic and sensible.

Be safe this winter and thanks for reading

admin December 2, 2013

keys / locksmiths / Safety /

Security Chains

 

Having recently read the local crime report, I see that distraction burglaries have started up again. This is where someone comes to your front door, with some excuse to keep you talking. They might be selling something, or posing as a charity worker, or one of many other things that can be used to keep your attention.

While they have you listening to them at the front door, their partner in crime is in the back looking for anything of value that can be stolen. This is a great time of year for it as many of us have our back doors wide open in the heat to allow cool air through the house. It’s almost too easy for them, especially as they prey more on the elderly and vulnerable.

Many people have security chains on their front doors so they can see either the face, or the credentials, of the person they might be potentially letting into their home, but how many of us put a chain on the back door as well?  It would take a second or two to ensure the security chain was on your back door (if you had one fitted), before going to see who your unannounced visitor was and if it was a hoax, then the potential back door burglar would not be able enter without making a huge racket and thus, alerting you to their presence.

Alternatively, you may be the sort of person who likes an afternoon nap in our current hot weather. A security chain on the back door allows you to still let the cooler air in and keeps the opportunist out.

 AC Locksmiths Norfolk can come and fit a security chain in less time than it takes to drink a cup of tea. (Although we always say “yes” when one is offered.)  We can also talk to you about all your security needs and help make sure the opportunist thief moves on elsewhere.  We will also be sympathetic to financial constraints and will endeavour to make recommendations with various options to suit all budgets. 

 Thanks for reading!

admin August 6, 2013

Crime prevention /

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