Cost Effective Ways to Deter Burglars

Securing your home and safeguarding your family doesn't have to be costly. There are some simple rules you can follow to deter those who may otherwise be tempted to break in, damage and steal from your property.

It’s a well-known fact that would-be thieves will avoid properties with monitored alarms and CCTV systems but if you can’t afford the latest in home security, don’t worry as we have some great cost effective alternatives for you:

Keep the lights on – this is one of the principal theft deterrents as the presence of a light in a room usually signifies that someone is home. By keeping the lights on whilst you’re not at home or setting a lamp on a timer, you can continue to give the impression from the outside that there is somebody in.

Install motion sensors – darkness is a great friend to the burglar, delivering the ability to sneak up on a property unnoticed.  By installing motion sensor lights on the exterior of your property, particularly at key access points such as the front door, back door or garage, you can take this ally away from would-be thieves and put off a potential burglary.

Leave the radio on – running a radio is extremely cost effective but could make all the difference when a potential burglar approaches your home.  Sound coming from within a building is a pretty good indicator that there are people present and could be all that is needed to prevent forced entry.

Have a gravel driveway – whilst having a new driveway isn't necessarily cost effective, if the exterior approach to your home is in need of a makeover it is worth noting that in general burglars will avoid anything that draws attention to themselves, such as the noise made by treading on a gravel driveway.

Hang net curtains – they might have gone out of fashion decades ago, but having net curtains or blinds at the window may help to deter a burglar as it will obscure their view of the room inside and prevents them from being certain there is nobody home.

Lock your doors and windows – it goes without saying that you need to secure your locks and windows both when you are away from home and when you go to sleep at night.  An open window or an unlocked door is a burglar’s dream, particularly if you have no alarm or security lights to alert the occupants or neighbours.  If you want additional security and peace of mind then you can opt for high security locks such as anti-snap locks, which will help prevent lock snapping, bumping, picking or drilling. These locks are suitable for both domestic and commercial properties and are recommended by the police.  Not only will these locks help prevent forced entry but they may act as a very effective deterrent to would-be thieves, most of whom will not even attempt to tackle this kind of lock.

We hope you have found these top tips useful and can put them into practice to stay safe and secure in your property.

The Benefits of Keyed Alike Locks

Safeguarding your property or business to the appropriate level can be a challenge, especially if there are a number of doors that need to be locked securely. Locking up or getting in may soon become a trying operation, with the many different, similar looking keys taking up time and energy.

So how can this be avoided? 

A ‘keyed alike’ system enables you to use a single key for the operation of several door locks. Unlike the traditional ‘key to differ’ locks needing separate keys, this solution works to open multiple doors with the same key, as long as they are fitted with the similar locking combinations. This means that you could gain access to your front and back door, garage and conservatory without the need for individual keys.

Keyed alike also differs from a master key, in that the master key can activate every lock within that group, whether they are keyed alike or keyed to differ.

 

What Are the Advantages Of Using Keyed Alike?

• Having one key to open every lock needed will save time, as you’ll no longer need to search for a combination of different keys
• This is a safe option in an emergency situation; the single key will allow you faster access in and out of the building
• You can also use the same key for multiple locks in the same door
• Having the one key will reduce the amount of things you have to ensure you keep safe or have to carry around at all times
• Getting spare keys for a number of key to differ locks will be more expensive, whereas you may only need to buy one spare key with a keyed alike option
• Ultimately, a keyed alike system will provide peace of mind to securing your house or business, as there will be no worry about finding the right key for the right lock. Though keyed alike is a good solution for quick, simpler access and security, only two keys will be supplied, so order additional keys if you require any more for the group of locks you are ordering.

Anti-Snap Locks provides a selection of highest quality solutions for your security needs.  If you’re interested in getting a keyed alike lock system or would like to find out more, then please call 0121 353 3644 or 0121 580 8983, or take a look at the Anti-Snap Locks’ online catalogue.

How just a few basic measures can increase your home security

None of us like to think about crime and how we would react if we were the victims of crime. Luckily crime is not as common as we are often led to believe by the media. Reassuringly, burglary is actually becoming less common in the UK. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reports that household burglary figures are continuing to fall. Since 1995 figures have fallen so much that we are now three times less likely to be the victim of a household burglary- and that is very good news.

There is no need to be complacent however. Whilst we should not begin to leave our windows and doors open day and night, there are some useful things we should always do to ensure we do not invite the burglar in. But basics are all we need. Of those people burgled in the UK, houses with less than basic security were 6 times more likely to be targeted than those with basic or enhanced home security (ONS May 2013).

So what is basic security and how can we ensure that we have it? Well clearly the main entry points to the house are the first things that you need to consider. Windows and doors are the obvious starting points. All insurance companies recommend that windows should be fitted with key operated window locks both upstairs and downstairs for example.

Perhaps more important than windows, are our front and rear doors. 73% of burglaries take place with the burglar accessing the property via a door, so clearly doors should be as secure as possible. Dependent on the construction of the door (ie uPVC, composite or timber) you will need to ensure that the door itself is robust and secure and only then consider the locks that you use. Not all locks are the same. A door lock should be multi point locking in nature, using a lock cylinder. Some cylinder locks are susceptible to snapping, and this is something that a criminal can do to make sure he/she can get in through the door. A way of preventing this is to fit anti snap locks to your front door.

Antisnap locks work by having sections which are sacrificial. This means that with an attempted forced entry the lock can be snapped, but not in a way that will allow the door to open. There are a number of brands that produce anti snap locks but they are not all of the same standard. A way of comparing what is available is to look at whether the product has been awarded the BSI TS007 3 star accreditation. This means that the lock has passed rigorous anti snap tests.

Just making sure that you have good key operated locking windows and doors with well fitted, high standard locks is the first and best step to household security. If you would like to find out more about cylinder door locks of the anti-snap lock variety then contact the team at Anti - Snap Locks on 0121 353 3644 or 580 8983

Your holiday time home security check list

Before you sail off or fly overseas for your well-earned summer holidays, it’s a good idea to take steps to secure your home, so that you have peace of mind and the relaxing holiday you deserve. These days, it’s important that you check the locks on all your doors, especially if you have UPVC, composite, or aluminium doors in your property.

It’s hard to believe, but almost 90% of UK homes still have doors that contain euro cylinders.  This makes them vulnerable because forced lock entries as still the most preferred method of entry for burglars. Doors like UPVC and some composite and aluminium doors feature these euro cylinders. The method a thief uses, known as lock snapping, simply means breaking the cylinder so that he can manipulate the lock. Even multi locks are operated by this weak and vulnerable euro cylinder that thieves find so easy to snap. If your home is fitted with any of these types of door, then your home security is at risk from lock snapping, so this is the first thing you need to check on your list.

Lock snapping is the reason why the Master Locksmiths Association advises everyone to remove the euro cylinders from all of their doors and to replace them by fitting new anti-snap cylinders and locks that prevent snapping. To minimise this security risk to your home, the solution is simple; employ the services of a professional locksmith like who also supply the new diamond approved anti snap locks you need for your doors, before you go on holiday.

Of course, you could fit your new locks yourself, but for insurance purposes, that’s not the best idea. A good locksmith will make sure you have the correct type of anti-snap lock, and size, and they only take 10 minutes to fit one!

Your holiday time home security checklist should also include fitting timers to lamps and perhaps even a radio to play at certain times when you’re away. Keep curtains open and remember to cancel milk and newspaper deliveries. Royal Mail has a service called Keepsafe which can keep your mail for up to two months for you. It’s worth fitting a letter box cage to prevent unwanted hands from reaching your latches. Finally, lock up outside gates, sheds and garages to prevent thieves getting their hands on tools and ladders.

To find out more about having anti-snap locks fitted in your home, please visit the Anti-Snap Locks website. 

Common UPVC Lock Problems

Due to the relatively low cost and simple installation of UPVC double glazed windows and doors, they have become a standard item for most homes in the West Midlands and throughout the UK. However, over time UPVC locks are likely to show signs of wear and tear and may not work properly, or in some cases, not at all.

Whilst replacement UPVC parts are easy to find, it is always advisable to contact a locksmith to repair or replace locks, to make sure they are fitted properly to provide the optimum level of security. By attempting to fix a problem yourself, you could risk causing further damage and incur extra repair costs that could have been avoided. In most cases, a locksmith can restore UPVC locks to full working order with minimum fuss.

There are a number of problems that commonly occur with UPVC doors and windows:

• Misalignment:
  One of the most common problems related to UPVC doors is misalignment of the door and frame, which results in it being difficult to shut the door and lock it properly. The main causes of misalignment are usually door panels or glass that aren’t packed properly, or in some cases, wear and tear on the hinges. In most cases, locksmith repair services can fix a misalignment problem relatively quickly, however, in some cases, worn out hinges may require replacing
• Damaged and misshapen doors:
  If excessive force has been applied to a door, for example, in an attempt at burglary or vandalism, the door can be bowed, resulting in a multipoint lock being hard to open and close. If you find that your door will not lock properly due to such damage, you should call a locksmith to review the damages and decide on how best to fix them.
• Multipoint lock failure:
  If you can’t turn your key to open or lock a door, or if you are unable to remove the key after locking or unlocking, it is likely that your multipoint lock has failed. Further signs of multipoint failure are if it is difficult to lift or engage the multipoint, or if your door handles droop slightly. In all of these situations, the multipoint must be removed, and a replacement fitted. It is always recommended to ask a professional locksmith to fit a new multipoint lock.

Are my locks up to British Standard?

As UPVC locks have been around for a long time, unless you have had your locks and multipoint system fitted recently, within the last 4 years or so by a reputable locksmith, there is a good chance that your door and window locks don’t supply a sufficient level of security to comply with your insurance requirements. If your UPVC locks are outdated, you should contact a locksmith to fit new British Standard locks.

If you are based in Sutton Coldfield or the West Midlands area and are in need of locksmith repair services, you can call Chubb Locksmiths on 0121 353 3644.