My Blog

I WAS THE VICTIM OF A BREAK IN

01/18/2012 02:29:00

First off, we’re sorry to hear that you are the victim of a break in, if indeed you are.

The following are measures that you should take in order to protect your home from this sort of violation in the future. Well, since your space has already been invaded, you definitely want to make sure that your new lock will offer you the best protection against this ever happening again.

The dangers of using a standard security product include the fact that keys can be duplicated virtually anywhere by anyone and the locks can be fairly easily compromised through manipulation techniques like picking, drilling and bumping. You’ll want to go with something high security.

Caledonian Locksmiths offer a line called Mul-T-Lock that is specifically designed to provide the best physical protection as well as key control. Their Hercular deadbolt is one of the strongest pieces of hardware on the market today. First, just like all their products, it comes with a key order card (a small card resembling a credit card in appearance) the purpose of which is to prove that you are authorized toduplicate keys.

Without presentation of this card and appropriate matching identification, keys will not be duplicated. In addition, the cylinder is equipped with special mechanisms and strategically placed inserts to resist virtually all forms of manipulation and lastly the bolt itself has ball bearings that extend out from the bolt and lock into the frame of the door to disallow prying, kicking, etc.

Once your lock is replaced, have the locksmith survey your property and any ideas from him/her on how to further improve the security of your home. This is a service that Caledonian Edinburgh Locksmiths provides for it customer.

We look at every possible entry and exit point and with our many years of experience are able to inform you as to the best way to secure it. When it comes to protecting your home, you can depend on us.

Call Caledonian Edinburgh Locksmith on 0131 500 0153

Rogue Locksmith Sentenced to Four Years

01/18/2012 02:25:00

In what was described as one of the worst cases of fraud Trading Standards had ever seen on August 31 2010 at the Old Bailey in London a former locksmith called Mark Makowski was sentenced to four years for charging customers grossly excessive amounts.

He charged one customer £1160 for replacing two locks that had to be replaced a few days later at a cost of only £154.

The majority of Locksmiths up and down the country are doing a great job for their customers however they are some Locksmiths who way overcharge for the work being carried out.

Caledonian Edinburgh Locksmiths recommend that you receive quotes from at least three locksmiths and always ask about the locks that they are going to fit. We also recommend using a local locksmith company rather than a national company as your local Edinburgh locksmith will be much cheaper.

I feel at times national companies charge way over the top for locksmith work.

Edinburgh Caledonian Locksmiths will also give you a price over the phone before leaving to attend your job. The price we quote is the total price so you will have no hidden charges and will include the cost of any replacement locks if that is required.

For a free quote call Caledonian Locksmiths in Edinburgh on 0131 500 0153

Locksmith Bump Keys

01/18/2012 01:59:00

Not a question most people ask themselves on a daily basis, but a question that is more important to most people than they realize. The tools in question are those which would allow a person to gain entry to a property be it their own or that of someone else, be it legally or illegally. The Internet has undeniably changed all of our lives, information on almost any subject you desire is available if you look hard enough, and with many subjects (including this one) it is very much a double edged sword.

In recent years there has been a proliferation of websites and forums promoting and discussing the art of lock picking and bypassing. There are also many websites that will sell tools and equipment that would allow anyone with a little practise and know-how to open a wide variety of locks. Everyone relies on there locks on to protect there privacy, property and belongings, but very few actually know how there locks work, what sort of security level they provide and how easily they can be opened without a key.

As a locksmiths company operating across Edinburgh, West Lothian, Lanarkshire and Glasgow we are more and more frequently being confronted on entry methods during break-ins.

This normally occurs when a burglary or break-in has taken place but no evidence can be found as to how entry was gained. Have the locks been picked? Was the door simply left unlocked and someone walked in, how would we get in? These are the questions that are normally asked.

When an entry of this type has taken place the most common method used is a 'bumpkey'. What is a 'bumpkey' you may ask? A 'bumpkey' is a specially cut key that when struck with a small hammer (or other similar object) will cause the pins in the lock cylinder to separate and allow the lock to open. The exact physics of how this occurs is still a matter of some debate and will know be discussed in a later article. As you can see from the description it requires very little skill or training to use one of these keys. But if a perpetrator has the correct key for say your standard Yale lock he would have a good chance of opening about 50% of the front doors in Edinburgh. A scary statistic. Bump keys are very easy to obtain, many websites exist some in the UK and many more across the world where these keys can be ordered by anyone, they are cheap and easy to post and worst of all easy to copy by anyone who has a key cutting machine.

As you can see this is not a good state of affairs. 'bumpkey's' have actually been in existence for many years and in the UK were formally known as 'rap keys' because you would rap them with a hammer. Sadly that have become the most proliferated of all the trade secrets of the locksmith. We are hearing of an ever growing number of burglaries in the Glasgow area where 'bumpkey's' are the suspected form of attack. At the present time the UK government is doing nothing to stop the proliferation of 'bumpkey's' in the UK. Take an interest in the locks on your doors, find out how good they are and what true level of security they provide. A 'bumpkey' epidemic is coming to the UK but you can do something about it before it happens to you.

Contact Caledonian Edinburgh Locksmiths for more information on installing antibump cylinders

0131 500 0153

Increase in burglaries expected during winter months

10/26/2011 15:22:00

Crime is expected to rise when the clocks go back this weekend, according to new figures.

With British Summer Time drawing to a close, new research has discovered that burglaries rose by 26% in the week surrounding last October's clock change compared with the weekly average for the rest of 2010.

Insurer Aviva, which collated the figures using freedom of information requests to 16 UK police forces, said the figures show the highest increase was in Strathclyde, where police saw a rise of 57% in reported burglaries between October 30 and November 5, compared with the weekly average for the rest of the year.

If you would like to ensure your property has the best security available

contact Caledonian Edinburgh Locksmiths on 0131 500 0153

Vehicle Thefts

10/24/2011 00:26:00

Recent research by car insurance specialist, elephant.co.uk has revealed that although for most of the working population the weekend is a period of rest.....

The same cannot be said for car thieves who are at their most active then.

The research shows the day of the week most cars are stolen is a Saturday, while the day most items are taken from a car is a Sunday.

Elephant.co.uk looked at 45,000 theft claims over the last five years to see on which day most car crime took place.

While Saturday was the most popular day for vehicle theft claims, it was closely followed by Friday, Thursay and Monday.

Most modern cars are actually very difficult to steal unless you have the vehicle keys and therefore thieves will target you home in order to get your keys.

To prevent this you should never leave your keys in a place that would be easily found. While sleeping you should take all your sets of car keys into your bedroom as its not common for thieves to enter the room where

you are asleep.

Edinburgh Locksmith

08/02/2011 14:25:00

Caledonian Locksmiths are highly trained, proffessional locksmiths, providing the best service around.

Our locksmiths are on hand 24 hours a day.

We deal with all domestic, commercial and lock or key problems.

We have impressed many local estate agents, property management, garages and local authorities with our work and receive regular business from them.

For a locksmith in Edinburgh call us now.

We cover all areas in East Central Scotland including Falkirk, Dunfermline, Livingston, Kirkcaldy, Bathgate, Glenrothes, Stirling and Linlithgow.

We also cover Glasgow and Lanarkshire.

Our locksmiths can be with you in as little time as forty minutes in these areas.

Our engineers have fully equipped vans with all the tools and stock they will need to make you secure and safe.

Our engineers can help you if you have lost your keys to your house or business premises, have a faulty lock, need to change a lock or need to improve security, and so much more…

Mul - T - Lock Doors

07/04/2011 13:20:00

Does your door lock employ two or three cylindrical bolts and maybe another pair of bolts top and bottom?

Do you wind these bolts out and wind them back in again?

You may have a Mul-T-Lock door. If you look around the handle fittings you’ll usually find the name there.

The good news is that if you do have such a door, you have a very good door and lock system—pretty strong and secure.

Your letterbox, for example, is probably a long way from the lock and is protected by a nice strong cowl.

In Edinburgh, most of these doors are on properties that were once owned by Edinburgh Council.

The “bad” news is that changing the cylinder is a little more expensive. This winding business is done via the cylinder (a euro- or “pear”- shaped cylinder) having a cog-wheel to do the work. (A regular euro cylinder has a cam that “flips” the lock rather than winds it.)

These unusual cog cylinders are nearly three times the cost of a regular cylinder.The other thing, and the main reason for the post, is to note that, apart from the cylinder, the door and lock are an integral system.

If you’re buying a place with a Mul-T-Lock door, try to obtain from the sellers, especially if it is the local authority, details of who can repair/replace the door.

Caledonian Locksmith Edinburgh

0131 333 4768

Fire Safety

07/04/2011 13:15:00

Fire Safety

When considering the locks on your doors, you need to strike a balance between security and safety. You want to keep thieves and other scum out, but you don’t want to keep yourself in should a fire break out.

(There must be other internal hazards you might be in a hurry to escape from, but fire is the main one.)

If you deadlock your front door whilst you’re in, you run the risk of not having your key on you when you reach the front door with flames behind you. (Deadlocking means “you locked it, you unlock it”; it’s the opposite of a sprung or “live” lock.)

It’s obviously not a good idea to keep the key in the lock, even if there’s no letter-slot. “Yes but I always leave the key on the hall table.” Again that’s a security risk if you have a letter-slot; and Sod’s Law says that it won’t be there the day of an emergency — someone couldn’t be bothered to find their key when they left that morning so they took the spare.

If you must deadlock your front door when you’re inside, get a break-glass box with a spare key inside, near the front door (but not reachable via the letter-slot).

You may also fit traditional bolts. Don’t get titchy little ones, with titchy little screws. Get some thumping big ones with decent sized screws, especially the screws in the staple (the part that holds the bolt when it’s been thrown).

Call Caledonian Edinburgh Locksmith on 0131 333 4768 for more information

What Our Emergency Glasgow Locksmith Can Do For You

06/03/2011 14:47:00

One can find themselves in the need of an emergency locksmith at any time of day or night. Whether one is the unfortunate victim of a burglary, has lost their keys or just locked themselves out of their home, it is important that they seek the assistance of an experienced and professional emergency locksmith.

There are plenty of emergency locksmith service providers out there from which to chose; however, it is important that you find a reliable service as there is no shortage of scammers.

A professional 24 hour emergency locksmith service will offer quick response and efficient service, generally having the ability to arrive at any location within their territory in no more than a half an hour. Irrespective of the size of the emergency and the size of the job, an emergency locksmith will arrive with all of the necessary equipment and tools in order to carry out whatever is required.

Should you find yourself the unfortunate victim of a burglary, the first call that you should make is to the police and the second call that you should make is to an emergency locksmith service provider.

A professional locksmith will not only repair any damage done to the locks, doors and windows; they will also recommend steps that you can take in order to improve the security of your home or business.

There are few things more annoying in life then locking oneself out of their home. Many times, this will result in nothing more than a nuisance; however, if one locks themselves out of their home under dressed in the middle of winter, this can result in a very dangerous situation.

An emergency locksmith will come to your home at any time day or night and gain entry into your home within minutes without causing any structural damage to either the locks or the door itself.

One of the most common calls that emergency locksmiths receive are those involving car lockouts. As when locked out of one’s home, in most instances being locked out of their car results in nothing more than an inconvenience. That having been said, it can also be dangerous especially when a child is locked in the car with the windows down during the summer.

If you are locked out of your car then just give an emergency locksmith a call. They will have your car door open and you up and running in no time.It is important when contacting an emergency locksmith that you make sure that they are a professional service and not some locksmith company that will charge you a fortune and cause damage to your property due to lack of experience.

This is not only because an inexperienced can do damage to the locks and doors but because when contacting an emergency locksmith, one is generally at some level of desperation. It is important to find a locksmith that won’t take advantage of the situation and try to inflate price.

Call Clyde Locksmiths on 0141 237 2015

Nightlatch Locks

06/03/2011 14:22:00

One of the commonest calls is, “My latch key turns a little bit but then stops.”

If it’s a Yale latch lock and it’s on the right-hand side of the door, then a loose snib might just have fallen down when the door was slammed shut. (The snib is the tiny button or lever that holds the bolt open or closed.

A dropping snib on an ERA on the other-hand, is only going to lock you out if it’s on the left-hand side of the door. (These handings are as if you’re standing outside.)

Another possiblity for any lock with a snib is that there’s a huge gap between the door and the frame; and you left the lock snibbed yet managed to slam it shut.

One, more disturbing possibility you should bear in mind however, is that if a thief has broken in through a window or throught the back door, (s)he will usually snib the front door’s latch so as to get some warning if you return.

So, enter the premises cautiously. Send the dog in first.

If you’re choosing a latch lock, some can be snibbed open or closed, but some can only be snibbed open (also known as a hold-back).