#ABSsummerlockin campaign launched by Neighbourhood and Home Watch Network to keep security locked in and intruders locked out.

#ABSsummerlockin campaign launched by Neighbourhood and Home Watch Network to keep security locked in and intruders locked out.

Neighbourhood and Home Watch Network is urging householders to #stayABSsafe this summer by launching the  #ABSsummerlockin campaign to coincide with the school summer holidays in England and Wales – a time of year that sees a 10% increase in domestic burglaries and 40% increase in outdoor thefts*.

Working in partnership with its security sponsor Avocet Hardware, Neighbourhood and Home Watch Network will be issuing regular communications throughout the holidays to advise householders about how they can make their homes less exposed to potential burglaries.

The office for National Statistics latest crime survey for England and Wales reports 92% of all domestic burglary in a dwelling is committed through the front and back door, 52% and 40% respectively.

Furthermore the report highlights one quarter of all burglaries are the result of forcing the lock or lock snapping as it’s more commonly known – a growing trend directly related to the increase use of uPVC and other double glazed doors.

Jim Maddan, chairman of the Neighbourhood and Home Watch Network, said: ““The school holidays is a busy time for burglars as many houses are left empty when people head off for a getaway. Throw in the light nights and warmer weather and it’s no wonder there is an increase in break-ins.

He continued: “We want people to enjoy their summer holidays without worrying about their home, which is why we have joined with Avocet to let people know that fitting a proper anti-snap lock is a really effective way to help stop a burglar gaining access to your property.”

Clive Lloyd, managing director of Avocet Hardware, said: “The rise in lock snapping is directly related to the increased use of uPVC and other double glazed doors, which can be found in millions of homes around the UK. By and large, these doors are fitted with a standard Euro cylinder lock that can be snapped and removed in a matter of seconds using nothing more than simple DIY tools.

“The ABS Snap Secure Lock is the only lock available with a patented snap secure technology, which will effectively lock the central cam in place. The ABS snap secure technology totally blocks access to the door bolt mechanism inside the lock case to effectively combat a snap attack.”

This proof comes from a Leeds City Council initiative that began in 2010 and to date has seen over 10,000 ABS Snap Secure locks installed in homes in East Leeds. This, alongside other police initiatives, has resulted on average in a 36 per cent annual drop in burglaries across East Leeds.

For further information and updates on #ABSsummerlockin follow Twitter @N_Watch and @avocetabs. To stay up to date on Avocet news and competitions join its Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/abs.secure.

More information about ABS locks can be found at www.abs-secure.co.uk. Alternatively call 01484 725725.

Joining a Neighbourhood Watch scheme is completely free and has been proven to reduce your chance of getting burgled. For further information and home security safety advice visit the Neighbourhood and Home Watch website:- http://www.ourwatch.org.uk

* According to research by Halifax Home Insurance.

If you are interested in having an ABS Snap Secure lock fitted to your property please contact us to arrange fitting by calling 0800 046 7845 or visit www.keytek.co.uk  

We built a shop!!!

So its launch day! Locks, shopping carts and logos have been the topic of conversation here in the

Keytek™ office the last couple of months, as we continue to look for ways to improve our services and our customer needs by offering better access to excellent security products.  In the recent months we’ve been doing just that with the creation of our first online lock shop, which you may have heard about from our recent blogs and on our social media. After months of hard work we are all very excited to announce the launch of our new online shop, Keytek shop, now security really can be brought to your door, quite literally!

The project started back in March 2015 when we felt we needed to offer our customers a means of improving their security at home with great products. The idea of not only providing a locksmithing service for changing your locks and emergency call outs, but also to pass on our knowledge and recommendations to help you purchase new security items for your home from a trusted and respected  brand. Keytekshop has been packed with all the best security products we could find ranging from Yale laptop safes to intruder deterrents to decoy safes in the shape of soup cans, all on a simple, clear shopping platform. With Keytekshop, improving your home security couldn’t be easier. However if you do struggle, or are not quite sure we’ve added in a helpful online chat service with an expert on hand to help you with choosing the right product. So go on over to our shop and have a look through our range of products to see what you can find to help secure the things you love and as a gift on us we are giving you 20% off on ALL products on our site and free delivery on orders over £40.

Also don’t forget to sign up to our weekly newsletter if you would like to receive offers, promotions and useful tips on improving your home security. More information and advice on the products we stock can be found at keytekshop.co.uk         

Did you change the locks after you moved home?

Surprisingly many of us fail to change the locks after moving home and are subsequently unaware of the fact we are potentially leaving our new home vulnerable to a break-in by anyone who may have obtained a house key during the previous ownership.

In 2013 we carried out a survey and found that 74% of homeowners in Britain didn’t call a local locksmith to change the locks when they moved into a new property. All participants in the study were asked whether they had changed the locks to their new home within a fortnight of moving in. The study found that people located in the south of the UK were more security conscious than those living in the North and Scotland, 35% of Southerners said they did get their locks changed, compared to just 20% of people located in the North of England and Scotland.

The majority of insurance companies will encourage you to change the locks on your new home as a basic home security measure as many policies will not pay out if an intruder lets themselves in with a key, usually a policy will specify there must be clear signs that a break-in has occurred. Therefore by not getting your locks changed after moving home you could run the risk of invalidating your home insurance policy.

Changing your locks after you have moved house is easy!

Simply call a local locksmith on 0800 035 0451 and pre-book a locksmith to change the locks on your new home.

What are British Standards?

You may have noticed some products are branded with a certification known as the ‘Kitemark’ (pictured on the right), which is used to indicate certification by the British Standard Institution, but only where a Kitemark scheme has been set up around a particular standard. 

So what are British Standards?

“In essence, a standard is an agreed way of doing something. It could be about making a product, managing a process, delivering a service or supplying materials – standards can cover a huge range of activities undertaken by organizations and used by their customers.” (BSI Group)

British Standards in the locksmith industry...  

A British Standard is the minimum standard that a product such as a cylinder must be manufactured in accordance with before it is recognised by the relevant authorities as a quality product. 

For example Home Insurance providers will specify that all external wooden doors such as your front door are fitted with a British Standard deadlock. 

British Standard and Home Security

When assessing the security of your home you may want to consider upgrading your cylinder to one that protects you against the five most common methods of attack:

•       Drilling

•       Picking

•       Snapping

•       Bumping

•       Plug Extraction

The majority of cylinders with a kitemark such as ABS High Security cylinders will help to protect your door from these types of attack. 

The Door and Hardware Federation strongly advise that in order to effectively protect your home from any type of attack to update your cylinder to one that is to the TS007 Kitemark standard.

TS007:2012 – What is it?

TS007:2012 is a Technical Specification that has been produced in the form of a document by the Door & Hardware Federation (DHF) and the Glass and Glazing Federation (CGF). The DHF and CGF worked closely alongside Secured by Design (the Association of Chief Police Officer’s crime prevention initiative) to develop the TS007 Kitemark standard. 

Meeting the TS007 standard...

The TS007 standard is characterised by a star rating and also uses a third party certification mark, typically the Kitemark. The star rating will also be imprinted on the cylinders and door furniture. It provides a mix and match approach with the ability to interchange cylinders and security hardware giving a flexible way to achieve the three star rating.

TS007 standard – How it works...

 

How Safe is Your Neighbourhood?

Unfortunately we are all aware that break-ins do happen but are you aware of the type and frequency of crime that occurs in your local area? 

Whether you are moving home or are currently a homeowner, it is important to consider the security risks that may pose in your local area so that you may protect yourself against the possibility of a break-in.  

Emergency locksmith Keytek™have developed a ‘How Safe is Your Neighbourhood?’ Crime Statistics Widget which can be found at www.keytek.co.uk/crime-stats/national/. Simply visit the URL, input your Postcode or Town into the dedicated field and click ‘Find’, which will then take you to a map hosted by Police.UK (www.police.uk) that highlights specific areas where various levels of crime have taken place, from anti-social behaviour through to burglary.

 

The majority of burglaries are premeditated; although if the opportunity is there an intruder may act on it i.e. leaving a ground floor or easily accessible window open. Many home insurers will advise taking preventative measures to protect your home and to adhere with your home insurance requirements; this can often be found in the small print of your home insurance documents. 

Some General Advice...

The majority of Insurance Companies may specify that your property must be fitted with British Standard locks on your doors and windows – so what are British Standards?

• In order for any lock to be classed as a ‘British Standard’ lock they must have been through rigorous testing including strength, durability and of course security, these products are also re-assessed and re-tested to ensure you have complete confidence in the safety, quality and reliability of the locks you have installed in your home. 

So how do I know if my lock is a British Standard lock? 

• On the face of any lock that is a ‘British Standard’ lock you will see the British Standard Kitemark image, this may also be accompanied by BS: 3621 2007 (mortice locks) or BS: TS007 (Euro cylinders) which are the current British Standard required for Insurance purposes.

Home Security Tips...

Keytek™ have put together the following list of ‘Home Security Tips’ so that you may best prepare yourself against a break-in.

• Store bins and ladders away from the property as these can be used to access 1st floor windows.

• Never leave any valuables where they can be seen by a burglar i.e. in view of a window!  

• Don’t discuss any holiday plans on any types of open forums i.e. Facebook or Twitter. Posting details of when you will be away from your property will let any of your followers know that your home is potentially vulnerable.

• Keep out any unwanted guests – it is always a good idea to have a spy hole or door chain fitted as additional security.

• It can be a good idea to leave a light on or on a timer, especially during the darker evenings and if you are spending a night or week away from your home! Leaving a television or radio on is also a good alternative to leaving the lights on. Security products such as a light with a timer can be purchased in most DIY stores and online. 

• If you are going to be away for a long period of time ask the Royal Mail to hold your mail with their ‘Keepsafe™’ service - they will do this for up to 2 months. It is recommended to ask the Royal Mail to hold your letters as this avoids a pile up of post inside the front door which could be an invitation for an intruder as they will be able to see you’re away.  

• Store all sets of keys away from the front door! Whatever time of year it is, it’s always a good idea to have a key hook fitted internally away from the front door. Having a key safe fitted externally to your property may be a preferred. 

• A letterbox cage/guard is also recommended as intruders will often use the letterbox to retrieve keys stored inside the house; this type of theft is referred to as ‘Key Fishing’. 

• Lights with sensors in the garden and front of your property will help to deter an intruder as they tend to be more confident when working in the dark. 

• Use a UV pen to mark any valuables so if the worse does happen it may help to make recovery easier.

• Check the locks on any gates or sheds and upgrade/replace if necessary. Make sure anything that can be used by an intruder to gain entry to your property, i.e. garden tools, are safely locked away.

• When leaving the property always remember to lock any doors and windows. The majority of intruders will use an unlocked door or window to gain entry to a house.

More security advice and tips can be found on a dedicated page www.keytek.co.uk/security-tips/

 

As part of this security advice homeowners are also encouraged to join or start a Neighbourhood Watch scheme in their local area. The Neighbourhood Watch works closely with the community 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 www.ourwatch.org.uk/

One third of all recorded burglaries are against businesses

Did you know that one third of all recorded burglaries in all London Boroughs are against businesses (http://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/londonfacts/default.htm?category=4)?

In the UK alone there were around 214,000 incidents of burglary, including attempts, against businesses; these incidents were across four sectors, which included wholesale and retail, manufacturing, transportation and storage and accommodation and food. In terms of what items were stolen in 38% of cases it was reported that goods and stock were the most common.  

The most common way in which entry was gained by a burglar was through either a wooden or glass door – 36% of businesses, therefore it is very important to maintain and upgrade your office security, especially on a regular basis. The security of any office can be maintained through a 24 hour locksmith, all a business has to do is sign up as a Commercial Business Account to a National Locksmithswho will be able to fulfill all of your business security needs.   

Many locksmiths will recommend a Master Key Suite for offices who wish to restrict the access of certain areas of the office i.e. stopping a customer or client from accessing certain areas of the office such as the Managing Directors office; therefore only authorised staff members with keys will be able to access certain areas. Companies such as Avocet are able to offer a Zone Control ABS Master Key Suiting, the supplier are then able to fully manage both the key registering and cutting for the client – therefore providing and ensuring maximum security. See info graphic below for more information.

As well as providing locksmith services to domestic customer, Keytek™ also provide a range of locksmith services for commercial/business customers. As a national company ourselves we are able to offer full ‘Nationwide’ coverage to all of our customers, these locksmith services include a number of benefits that other companies do not incorporate into their operations. Currently we service a large portfolio of National companies; these include Ministry of Defence, Lidl, Safestore and Debenhams.

To find out more about the locksmith services for commercial businesses provided by Keytek™ please visit http://www.keytek.co.uk/locksmith-for-business/

All statistics provided in this blog post are from the Home Office (2012).

Over 20% of Britons are still leaving their spare set of keys hidden in the garden!

A new survey carried out by Keytek™ Locksmiths has revealed that more than 20% of us are still keeping up the old tradition of leaving a spare set of keys hidden in the garden. Survey participants across the UK revealed that despite years of being advised by the police and government against it, many will still leave their keys in a somewhat easily discovered hiding place. According to Tesco Compare 73% of burglars will use doors to gain entry into a property, therefore by leaving a key under the plant pot or the welcome mat, you will potentially leave your home vulnerable to a break-in and it is definitely an enticing invitation for the average burglar.   

The Statistics

Considering this is only a small percentage of the population, it is still alarming that 20% of Britons will still leave their keys in what they feel is a secure hiding place at the risk of invalidating their home insurance by leaving their home vulnerable to a break-in; 2% said they keep a key under a plant pot, 6% under a mat, 7% elsewhere in the garden and 6% in the garage or shed. This is something that home insurers generally advise against. The AA insurance website clearly states this as a warning to all homeowners as part of their security tips, “Don’t hide a spare key outside as burglars know where to look.”

As well as exposing that a significant proportion of homeowners still hide their keys in the garden, the survey also revealed that 44% of people actually keep their spare set of keys with a neighbour; this gives an interesting new outlook on recent debate on whether modern Britons do actually know their neighbours.

Surprisingly only a small percentage of survey participants said that they use a Key Safe to store their spare set of keys. For a relatively small cost it is advisable to have a Key Safe fitted to the outside of your home by a 24 hour locksmiths. A Key Safe is a secure box where you can safely and securely store your keys without having to rely on a neighbour or family member to look after them.    
 

Where do you leave your spare set of keys? Please tell us in poll below...

  

Where do you leave your spare set of house keys?
	Under a plant pot
	Under a mat
	Elsewhere in the garden
	In the garage/shed
	With a neighbour
	Other
pollcode.com free polls

Feeling hot hot hot...

We’ve all been enjoying the return of the British heat wave today and we’re sure the hot weather will continue this month. According to The Independent we could see the hottest day in August for ten years and in some areas the temperature is set to rise to a scorching 32C and possibly higher!

(Image source at Washingborough Hall)

Whilst we enjoy the sunshine, unfortunately the exceptionally high temperatures are not great for uPVC or wooden doors as changes in heat can often cause doors to swell or shrink. Potentially, these changes can unfortunately leave your property unsecure, as you may be unable to unlock or worse lock your door, leaving your home vulnerable to break-in.  When a door swells or shrinks it’s often a simple case of calling an accredited 24 hour emergency locksmith to fix the problem for you, making ongoing accessibility much easier during those hot summer days, leaving you far less likely to find yourself locked out when you return from a day on the beach!

Problems with your door can be caused by a variety of other factors during the summer; a common cause being simple wear and tear especially when everyone is more partial to popping in and out of the back garden to top up the tan. This can also cause security issues for your home, especially if you’re unable to lock up due to the lock being damaged by continuous use. This problem can also be solved by calling a locksmith to your home who will be more than willing to fix or replace any locks that have been damaged by wear and tear.  

Also, don’t forget to secure your home even when just popping out to the garden, this includes the window you have left open to catch the rare breeze. Leaving any doors or windows open during a sunbathing session in the garden could leave your home unsecure and pretty much a burglar’s dream of entering your property undetected whilst you’re in the garden.  According to statistics provided in this fantastic UK Burglary report provided by Tesco Compare 73% of burglars use a door to gain entry and in 3% of cases the door was open.    

Three quarters of Britons do not change their locks after moving house

A survey conducted by Keytek™ has revealed that 74% of homeowners do not call a locksmith to change the locks when they move into a new property, potentially leaving them vulnerable to break-ins by someone who obtained a key during the previous ownership.

Participants in the study were asked if they had the locks changed within a fortnight of moving in to their current home. This basic security measure is recommended by leading home insurance providers, as most insurance claims are valid only if there are clear signs of breaking and entering, so the insurer will not pay out if the intruder was able to let themselves in with a key. (source: Churchill - http://www.churchill.com/home-insurance/tips/moving-house.htm).
The number of recorded burglaries has been gradually falling year on year for the last decade (source: ONS - http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/re-reference-tables.html?edition=tcm%3A77-300972), but there are worries that this positive trend can only be sustained if homeowners remain vigilant and don’t take unnecessary risks with their home security. British Crime Survey stats show that people who have been living in their home for less than a year are twice as likely to be burgled as the average (source: The Crime Prevention Website - http://thecrimepreventionwebsite.com/home-security-assessment/680/moving-home-and-security/).
Regional and Demographic Results

The participants were from right across the UK, with people in the South found to be the most security-conscious. The results showed that 35% of Southerners said they did get their locks changed, compared to just 20% of people in the North and Scotland.

The age group most likely to get their locks changed was those aged between 35-54, while the over 55s were found to be least likely to do so.
For more information please visit www.keytek.co.uk