The UK’s most burgled cities and towns

Our last security blog looked into a recent report by the Daily Mail that November is the month you are most likely to be burgled, this study also revealed frightening statistics such as during the month of November a home in the UK is burgled every two minutes (figures provided by LV=Home Insurance).

Further to this, insurance provider RIAS have recently released figures that reveal the UK’s most burgled cities and towns. The figures as published in the Independent have indicated that the most burgled cities in Britain include Bradford, London, Manchester and Leeds with the average claim from a burglary costing £2,433. These figures also revealed that November (10 percent increase) and December (25 percent increase in first week) 2012 saw the highest increase in burglaries.

Interesting Facts

• 5 bedroom houses are 3 times more likely to be burgled over that of 1 bedroom houses (RIAS).

• The risk of burglary is twice as high in urban areas than in rural areas (Tesco Compare).

• 56% of burglaries occur at night (Tesco Compare).

• The reported most desirable items for a burglar to steal included jewellery, cash and laptops (RIAS).

• Over 85% of burglaries are committed by men (Tesco Compare).

For more interesting facts take a look at this infographic from Tesco Compare http://www.tescocompare.com/infographics/burglary_statistics.shtml#.UpczN-I7BQI

Britain’s ten most burgled cities and towns 

1. Bradford 
2. London 
3. Manchester 
4. Leeds 
5. Oldham 
6. Milton Keynes 
7. Coventry 
8. Huddersfield 
9. Sheffield 
10. Redhill

Source: RIAS

So don’t get caught out this Christmas and watch our home security tips videos...

 

Neighbourhood Watch

As part of our security advice we also recommend that you either join or start a Neighbourhood Watch scheme.

Neighbourhood Watch works to bring neighbours together who want to look out for each other, creating strong, friendly, active communities where crime and antisocial behaviour are less likely to happen.

To find your local Neighbourhood Watch, or for information on how to start a Neighbourhood Watch scheme, please visit http://www.ourwatch.org.uk/

Guest blog post from Locksmith Training Academy student Thomas

Earlier on this year Academy student Thomas took a 5 day NCFE level 4 course in locksmithing. In this guest blog post Thomas talks about his experiences, skills and knowledge in locksmithing of which he has gained whilst taking a course at the Keytek™ Locksmith Training Academy.  

For more information in regards to the courses run at the Keytek Locksmith Training Academy please visit www.locksmiths-training.co.uk
 

"After recently completing the Keytek™ Academy course I was very impressed with the extent of the skills demonstrated and aspects of the industry that are covered within the week. 

I came to the academy with little to no knowledge or skills in locksmithing and carpentry. The techniques shown by the course trainer were a great starting point and simple enough for me to understand. 

The course content itself included techniques that would be needed for both lock fitting on site and upgrading a customer’s locks to British Insurance Standards. This demonstrated to me the importance of fitting parts that will be in compliance with a customer’s home insurance. 

The course content covered the fitting of a wide range of locks, the destructive and non destructive methods of entry including uPVC mechanisms and wooden doors and how they operate. I left the course feeling that I could happily start working within the locksmithing industry with a great overall understanding of the trade, which has helped me to complete jobs for customers with confidence.  

A huge thank you to all of those involved, including the patience and care taken by the course trainers to ensure everybody received individual feedback and guidance. In conclusion, I am happy to have passed an accredited NCFE Level 4 course in locksmithing. After taking this course I feel confident enough to carry out the skills taught by the Keytek™ Locksmith Training Academy on the road." 

Thomas

Academy Course Student 2013

November the month you are most likely to be burgled

It has been recently reported by the Daily Mail that November is the month that you are most likely to be burgled!

According to Victim Support around half a million burglaries take place each year in England and Wales, although crime overall has fallen considerably over the last few years, in fact BBC News in October of this year reported that crime had fallen by 7%, burglary still remains a common crime that affects a large percentage of the population. A recent study by LV= Home Insurance highlighted the fact that in the month of November a home in the UK is burgled every two minutes.

Burglary is largely an opportunistic crime, many home insurers will advise taking certain security steps to insure your home isn’t ‘easy pickings’ as according to Home Insurance Guide.co.uk, “burglars are looking for a home that gives them the easiest way of committing their crime undetected, with the fewest obstacles to negotiate.” The majority of burglars will not even use force to gain entry to a property, two out of ten burglars according to the Home Insurance Guide.co.uk, in fact 73% of burglars use doors to gain entry and in 3% of cases the door was open (Tesco Compare).

A burglary cannot only affect a victim financially, but it can also affect how safe you feel in your home after the burglary has taken place, some may even think they are at fault if they had forgotten to secure a window or door to their home, which can be distressing and traumatic to some especially if an item of sentimental value has been stolen.

When having any type of lock upgraded or replaced for security or insurance purposes we always recommend that you contact a locksmith who can carry out a full home security and insurance compliance check as part of the service for your peace of mind.

So don’t get caught out this November by watching our home security tips video.

Locksmith Training and Recruitment for Armed Forces Leavers

What you need to know

Every year, hundreds of men and women leave the armed forces and are faced with the challenge of re-integrating with civilian life and work. It can be a stressful time, but one which the government has tried to ease with the Enhanced Learning Credits (ELC) and Individual Resettlement Training Costs (IRTC) schemes, which provide funding for re-training in a new career. 

The funding can be used for a huge variety of educational and training opportunities (everything from fine art degrees to flight training), but one of the most common uses is to put it towards the cost of a locksmith training course. 

Find out more about using your funding here www.locksmiths-training.co.uk/elc-funding/

So why are locksmith courses so popular with military leavers? 
 

First of all, the industry itself is attractive for a whole number of reasons. Demand for locksmiths is high, and is largely recession-proof (people are always going to get locked out of their homes!), while the nature of the work offers a degree of flexibility when it comes to working hours. 

Locksmithing is also a job that is particularly well suited to military leavers. The key characteristics required to be a successful locksmith include a confident manner, perseverance, and the ability to carry out skilled manual work – all of which are traits common to those who have spent any length of time in the Armed Forces. 

Working for Keytek™

Keytek™ is one of the largest National Locksmiths in the UK providing both Domestic and Commercial locksmith services for over 15 years. Over the years the Company has been able to build an extensive Engineer Network across the UK and Northern Ireland. Engineers wanting to join the Engineer Network will join on a sub contractual basis, meaning that working hours and time off is tailored to suit their needs. Keytek™ is able to provide all of it’s Engineers with all the help and support they need from technical to paperwork in the form of the Technical Department and Engineer Liaison Team. 

To find out more about National Locksmith Keytek™ visit www.keytek.co.uk

So what kind of training is needed to become a locksmith? 

 

Most people who are completely new to locksmithing start with a short, intensive course which allows them hands-on practice and expert tuition on the essentials of the industry. While this course will not give a comprehensive knowledge of all there is to know about locksmithing (that only comes with years of experience and constant learning), it does give a firm foundation to start working in the industry, either as an independent operator or as a sub contractor for an established company. 

Keytek™ Locksmith Training Academy

The Keytek™ Locksmith Training Academy offers a variety of locksmith training courses to help you on the way to starting your career as a professional locksmith and is the only training provider able to offer a Level 4 Accreditation, the highest level accreditation within the industry. 

All courses are taught in state of the art facilities and are tutored by highly experienced industry professionals. The locksmith training courses are tailored to meet specific industry requirements and to suit the needs of military leavers as newcomers to the industry. 

If you have any questions regarding the courses provided by the Keytek™ Locksmith Training Academy or would like to be sent an information pack, please call the Academy Team on 01202 711 195 or to find out more about the locksmith courses we run visit www.locksmiths-training.co.uk/locksmith-training-courses-2/