Burglary remains one of the most common types of crime in the UK - and it's fair to say thieves are using increasingly complex methods to gain entry into homes.
As the saying goes, 'knowledge is power', so being aware of the methods used is essential to keeping your property secure. Here are just some of the known techniques used by burglars throughout South Yorkshire and other parts of the country.
Lock snapping is where thieves exploit a weak spot in the euro cylinder of your lock. They will break off the bottom part of the handle that surrounds the mechanism, meaning they can easily tamper with the lock.
This means they can enter your home with relative ease, putting you and your possessions at risk.
By carrying out a complete lock replacement and having anti-snap locks installed, you can protect your property from snapping.
How secure is your letterbox? It's probably not something you've ever given much thought, but in reality, it could be putting your home at risk of being broken into.
It's not uncommon for thieves to make their own contraptions that will poke through the letterbox. If the lock on the inside of your door is operated with a thumb piece, it makes your property even more vulnerable.
All it takes to unlock your door is a quick turn of the thumb piece. This is why we recommend installing key-operated locks to make sure this can't happen.
Lock bumping is a technique that involves thieves creating their own bump key, which fits into virtually any lock. Once inserted, the key is then struck - hence the term 'bumping' - which encourages the various security pins into place.
The door will then open as normal, often looking as though it hasn't been tampered with from the outside. It's only once you walk through the door that you realise someone has entered your home uninvited.
This one reason why we recommend high-security Ultion locks. They have 11 security pins, which are capable of creating 294,970 different combinations. You will find that most standard locks have five or six pins.
It can be tempting to go for the cheapest lock you can find when carrying out a lock replacement - but this is rarely a good idea. There are so many companies selling locks these days that there's often no telling how good their products, or credentials, really are.
A cheap lock company you find online may be offering thousands of other customers the same lock with the same key as the one you've purchased. It's essentially the same thing as handing your key out to countless people you don't know - and who would want to do that?
Choosing an experienced locksmith in South Yorkshire will give you peace of mind. Each key we use will be individual to your lock, helping stop thieves in their tracks.
You may only need the services of a locksmith every now and then, but it's important that when you do, to choose wisely as the security of your property is paramount. Parkgate Locksmiths are established, local, reliable and professional - please read out customer reviews to see what others have to say.
