ABC Lookout Series Exposes Ghost Locksmiths

I have been writing articles since 2004 on the "ghost locksmiths".  Using thousands of addresses that do not belong to them, using many different names and phone numbers.  They appear to be on almost every corner in all metropolitan areas in the country.  Calls go to a national call dispatching center who forwards the information to subcontractors.

The really bad part of this is the "ghost locksmith" who shows up is usually poorly trained, and charges rates much higher than you were told it would cost. You are not advised of the increase until he presents his bill. Want to know more? This expose'  has the whole story. Parts of it even I didn't know. ANC NightLine Expose

Remember, look for a legitimate locksmith before you need one and put it on your phone. Better yet get spare keys made and placed in a secure place or with others who can run over with the key

A careful consumer is the scammer's worst nightmare.  Check and verify!  Advertising and searches can provide false or misleading information.  Check addresses and visit business locations listed.  Call the "local" phone number and beware if they answer with a generic name (not telling their real name for a reason), ask for your zip code (a sign they are not local), or if they offer too-good-to-be-true pricing or response time.  Verify the identity of the locksmith on arrival and CONFIRM THE PRICE before they touch anything.

Smart Cars/ Keyless Openers are Expensive

 
 

Smart systems on automobiles work with a remote sensor that talks or transmits to the car computer. Having the remote on you allows you to open the doors by just holding the handle and pushing a button to start the car.

My new Toyota Prius came with the system. It took a little getting used to, but now I love walking up to my car and just putting my hand on the handle to open or lock the car. I get in and push the button to start without fumbling to find my keys. No more dropping my keys as I shift my packages trying to insert a key in a lock.

As a consumer, I love it. As a locksmith, I wonder if the sensors and remotes will give me problems as the car gets older. At this time most smart systems are serviced only by the dealers and my dealer wants $300 for an extra remote. Sensors and computers are expensive to replace or repair.

Times are changing faster than I can compute. Hands free opening and starting. What's next? Hands Free Driving? You bet!

Lost your car key? That'll be $400 - MSN Money

2012 Winter Security Preparation

It's that time of year again.  Our customers are already calling about keys not turning in their locks.  The colder weather and lack of lubrication may stop your lock from working.

Check out our previous article Chicago Winter and Frozen Locks to learn how to keep this from happening to you.

Also, with the holidays fast approaching, you might be interested in our Holiday Security Tips.

Have a Happy and Safe Holiday Season!

Back To School - Kids vs. Keys

 
 

For many parents this is a difficult time of balancing work and children. Back to school means many children will arrive home before their parents. Some tips that may help you keep your security while allowing your child to gain entry are:

Tip 1.  If you give them a key, it is a very good idea to get a lanyard that can be pinned into their book-bag. It should be long enough for the key to reach the lock without being unfastened from the bag. If they don't lose their book-bag, they won't lose the key.

Tip 2.  Install a metal keybox that can hold the house key or even better the garage key(then hide the house key in the garage) to be accessed by a pushbutton combination.  See our previous article "Sturdy Key Box Stops Lock Outs".

Tip 3.  There are many keypad locks available. Some are electronic and some are mechanical. The big problem with these is your child's friends. Children are fascinated with locks, and within a short time they will all know the combination to your lock.

Tip 4.  If all your locks use the same key and the key is lost you have a big problem. If you have one door keyed different to make a children's entrance you have a smaller problem. You would only have the lock(s) on one door to rekey.

Tip 5.  Plan ahead for the lost key situation. A helpful neighbor or a hidden key may be needed so your child is not locked out until you can get home.

Have a safe and happy school year.

When a SAFE is not safe

 

I always thought of the cheap "safes" as "Please Steal Me Boxes" (they really shouldn't be called "safes").  What's a "Please Steal Me Box"?  A "Please Steal Me Box" is generally any "safe" that's under $200 and can be easily carried by a single person.  After all, you're putting your valuables in a convenient, easy to carry, easy to open box.  The thief now only needs to grab a single box to get everything rather than rummaging around to find your valuables.

In addition to storing valuables, these are also often used as gun safes.  As the article on Forbes "Unsafe Gun Safes Can Be Opened By A Three-Year Old" points out, any safe that a three-year old can open should NOT be used to store guns.  In fact, there's a great video on that article of a toddler "bumping" open one of these safes.

We've been selling quality home and office safes since 1982.  We have several articles on this site on how to determine the quality of a safe and the different types of safes.

If you're considering buying a safe for your home or business, we invite you to visit our safe show room at 6810 Roosevelt Rd. in Oak Park, IL.  We will be happy to work with you to find a safe that fits your needs.