Posted July 31st, 2009 | No Comments
Recent Home Office data hails Manchester as the Burglary Capital Of The UK!!
Damian Clarkson writes on MSN News, July 31 2009:
Manchester is the most burgled area in the UK, suffering almost 20 break-ins every single day.
According to new Home Office Data, Manchester had 7,167 domestic burglaries last year, equal to 35 for every 1,000 households. Worryingly, the crime problem appears to be worsening in the area, having risen 8% from 6,646 a year earlier.
To see complete article: http://money.uk.msn.com/consumer/article.aspx?cp-documentid=148909630
‘Take action to protect your family and home. Stay one step ahead of the burglars and sign up to our FREE Security Updates’
Tags: Burglary Manchester, Burglary statistics, Crime Manchester, Home security, House Burglary, Manchester crime rate, security | Posted in Security Advice |
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Posted July 20th, 2009 | 2 Comments
Effective security at home and in business does not always mean spending a lot of money. The use of Restricted Keys is a great way of improving the security of traditional door locks.
What is a restricted key?
A restricted key is a key which may only be coppied (cut) with the express permission of it’s owner.
This means that if you have locks fitted to your home or business which have restricted keys, then you can be sure that nobody will be able to have keys cut without your permission.
The advantages of this are:-
- Any key loaned to a neighbour, friend, tradesman (painter & decorator, etc) which is subsequently returned will not have been able to be copied.
- If you ever lost or missplaced your keys but then had them returned, you would be confident that nobody had been able to have copies cut.
- If a family member, child, etc. or employee lost their key, they would be unable to simply borrow another and get it cut without your permission.
- You will know exactly how many keys to your property are in existence.
- Nobody who should not have keys to your premises will have them.
Locks that use Restricted Keys
Locks which are operated by restricted keys are usually of the type which can be ‘re-keyed’, meaning that the locksmith who supplied the locks would be able to change the pinning arrangement within the lock to enable new keys to be issued for it and invalidate existing keys.
The advantages of this are:-
- If keys are lost or stolen, the locks can be re-keyd at a fraction of the cost of buying new ones.
- Locks can be ‘keyed alike’ or made to work by the same key, meaning fewer keys to carry, for ease and convenience.
- The ‘One Key House’, all doors in your house could work with the same key for convenience.
- Additional locks could be added to your suite at a later stage, thus allowing your security system to grow with you.
- Locks can be Master Keyed to offer tiered levels of security within a commercial environment or in Churches, schools or other multi user situations.
Are these locks expensive?
Locking systems with restricted keys have become much less expensive in recent years. Some reputable locksmiths now have access to keys with a ‘unique profile’ which means that the key blanks that fit their locks are only available to them, ensuring that unauthorized key cutters are not able to cut their keys illegally. These locking systems are relatively inexpensive and can in some case be provided at no more expense than readily available unrestricted systems.
Always use a Master Locksmith’s Association approved locksmith to supply your locks and associated security products, that way you will be sure that your supplier is legitimate and works within the guidelines of the locksmith’s industry lead body, who vet and regularly inspect it’s member companies.
Tags: Home security, Lock change, Master Locksmith Bury, Registry keys, Restricted keys, security, Security keys | Posted in Security Advice |
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Posted July 10th, 2009 | No Comments
According to a survey conducted by NOP on behalf of insurer NIG, over half (58%) of British residents give away spare sets of keys to their home.
The rate at which spare keys are not reclaimed is highest in rental properties where 7% of tenants do not reclaim spare keys when they move on.
The main recipients of spare keys from the majority of householders are family members (73%); 14% give spare keys to neighbours and 8% give spare keys to friends. These figures do not include those of us who ‘loan’ keys to tradesmen/cleaners or simply leave a spare key under the mat.
If you don’t change the locks to your home as soon as you move in, it is unlikely that you will know exactly how many sets of keys were cut and are in circulation for your new property.
Do you know exactly who has or has had keys to your home and how many copies there are out there? (Remember to think about previous occupants, cleaners, tradesmen, neighbours etc)
“If you have just moved house you are almost twice as likely to be burgled”
According to Home Office statistics, you are almost twice as likely to be burgled in the 12 months after moving house compared with the average burglary rate (4.6% compared with 2.5%). You are nearly three times as likely to be burgled compared with those who have occupied their property for 10 years or more (4.6% compared to 1.6%).
Alarmingly those households with no home security measures were almost ten times (22.5%) more likely to be victims of burglary compared to households that carry out simple security upgrades (2.5%) such as fitting deadlocks on doors and fitting window locks.
“Avoid becoming an easy target for burglars”
Take the first step towards a more secure life, click on the link below and sign up to our no cost security updates. Join us and stay one step ahead of the burglars.
Click on the link Authorized Access
Tags: Burglaries, Burglary, Burglary prevention, crime, Crime prevention, Crime statistics, Home security, security | Posted in Security Advice |
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Posted June 16th, 2009 | 1 Comment
‘Lock Bumping’… You may have heard the term, seen the videos or just heard the horror stories of what’s possible but the fact is that in the UK this type of Burglary is becoming more common as information and tools are easily obtained on the internet. Also the likelihood is that you will not be covered by your insurance company should your house be burgled in this way.
‘Lock Bumping’ is known as ‘Cylinder Bumping’ in the trade and has long been used by locksmiths as a means of gaining entry when people are locked out, however this information and the equipment to carry out the action is rapidly spreading and getting into the wrong hands!
We have the solution at Authorized Access…
PICKBUSTER!!! The shock absorber for cylinders
Thieves and burglars are always looking for easy ways to get into to our homes. Lock Bumping is simple! The burglar uses a modified key to open the lock, and what’s more frustrating is that these keys can be bought easily on the internet, or even made at home!
We are told that just 9 bump key will open 95% of cylinder locks in the UK! Which means that potentially your home is at risk.
A cylinder lock is the type found on uPVC doors, patio doors and a lot of wooded doors. If your key is what you might describe as a ‘Yale Type’ key then your home is at risk.
As a locksmith, when I first heard about this phenomenon, I was dismissive; I didn’t believe that burglars would go to the lengths of practising the skill – because that’s what it is, a skill. However with the availability of the keys and instructions for their use in opening locks so freely available on the World Wide Web, I have had to re-evaluate my thoughts and find a way of staying one step ahead, don’t be fooled, you too need to take action, don’t be mugged by thinking ‘it won’t happen to me.’
‘Lock Bumping’ is quick and silent, with some locks being opened in under 5 seconds!
As the burglar uses a key, there is no damage to the door and no sign of forced entry. You may even think that you left the door unlocked and so would your insurance company! No sign of forced entry usually means no insurance claim being accepted.
PICKBUSTER is a simple economical and permanent solution to the problem of Lock Bumping. It’s a highly developed, synthetic oil, that once inserted into the lock barrel, will act as a shock absorber and this stops the lock being able to be bumped.
Again, as locksmiths we never usually advise that people lubricate locks by simply squirting oil into them, it can cause more harm than good, there are particular lubricants that we would advise but PICKBUSTER really seems to work and doesn’t cause any unwanted side effects.
From as little as £5 per lock when installed while other work is being carried out by our locksmith, or purchased over the counter at £14.99 for a DIY pack to protect upto 5 locks, this is something which should be taken seriously and everyone should take steps to prevent Lock Bumping becoming an epidemic!!
“Remember – Always use a Master Locksmiths Association ‘Approved Company’ when considering your security needs. You can be assured that our trained staff will provide a quality service with integrity to give you total peace of mind.”
For assistance in selecting the ideal solution for your needs, contact AUTHORIZED ACCESS where our fully trained staff will guide you through the process.
Tags: Anti bump locks, Bump proof locks, Crime prevention, Cylinder bumping, Home security, Lock bumping, Pickbuster | Posted in Security Advice |
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Posted May 14th, 2009 | No Comments
We are all aware that the UK is currently in recession and with it has developed a climate of changing crime trends and this is having an impact on both home and business security.
The Government are all too aware of these trends and are encouraging professional security organisations to take appropriate steps to raise awareness.
In a recent news letter, John Bates, Chief Executive of the British Insurance Industry Association (BSIA) said, “Our message to the home owner remains clear – quality home security can make a real difference in protecting your home from burglary. Whilst it might be tempting to avoid investing in security, the damage, loss and sense of invasion from a burglary can have a long-term effect that should not be underestimated.”
The British Retail Consortium’s (BRC) 2007/8 retail crime survey shows that one shoplifting offence is committed every 90 seconds in the UK and retailers remain seriously concerned that the economic slow down will wipe out falls in retail crime achieved over the past year.
According to the Daily Telegraph, levels of reported robbery have risen by 17.5% even in rural areas, since December 2008.
All these statistics are not designed to scare or shock but simply to raise awareness in a way that encourages home and business owners to take an informed approach to their security and obtain professional advice from local security companies, ensuring that those companies are recognised and approved by appropriate industry bodies, like the ‘Master Locksmiths Association’ to ensure that their security is appropriate and cost effective in the current climate.
BSIA’s John Bates says, “Don’t be tempted to cut back on security without ensuring the level of risk you face has been protected against. Such decisions may well prove to be costly in the long run with insurance excess and the loss of time and disruption that crime results in making a real impact, not to mention the human cost of any crime. By choosing quality security suppliers and making an informed decision you will be well placed to protect yourself in the face of changing crime trends.”
Take advantage of free security surveys offered by some approved local companies to ensure your security is appropriate and effective before it’s too late!!
Tags: Business security, Credit crunch, crime, Crime prevention, Home security, security | Posted in Security Advice |
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