Ok, we know it may be tempting to have a backup key by your door in a ‘safe place’ that of course only you will ever know about. I mean, nobody is ever going to think of lifting that flowerpot that’s right by the door would they? But they do, all the time. Anybody who’s willing to risk a burglary is not going to think twice about disturbing the shrubbery next to your door just in case you are silly enough to literally leave a key for them to break in. And yes, silly it most definitely is but silly season seems to last all year with some folk – not you obviously dear reader. But on the off chance it might have crossed your mind to have a ‘just in case’ key by the door, let’s list where any burglar is always going to check. Under a Rock – Is it boulder sized? Is Dwayne Johnson himself sitting on it? Then no, just no. In a Flowerpot – Unless you’ve planted explosives in it, that’s a no too. For all sorts of reasons. Top of a Doorframe – Is it rigged up like something from Home Alone? Again no, and I’m starting to fear the worst for you. Under a Doormat – Oh my God, you are mad! Basically, if you’ve seen them do it in the movies, don’t do it yourself. You don’t need the drama. If you do worry about losing a key, locking yourself out, or the kids need one and you really have to leave it somewhere, the least you should do is hide it well away from the doorway. Find a place at the far end of the garden, in your garage, in your shed, bury it even. You can even get little lockboxes with a combination to keep a spare key for a little extra security, but again find a place for it away from the entrance. And thinking outside the box, there’s a market for fake rocks or ornaments to hide a key inside. But if there’s only one rock or ornament next to the door, don’t you think they’ll investigate? It’s a safe bet that burglars have the downtime to do the research and check what these hiders look like on Amazon too. Oops, I hope I’m not giving them ideas now. No, I just hope that someone visiting now might realise that their hidden key is a bit close to the door after all and place it somewhere that’s less obvious. Because while it’s true a would-be intruder is not going to spend a long time lifting that, moving this, and checking under the other, they’re not that silly and unconscious to risk after all. They will though spend a few minutes to see if you have been.         With our locksmith ‘hat’ on now, you can actually do away with spare keys altogether, hidden or otherwise. By installing a smart lock you simply punch in a code or open or lock a door via your phone. Another benefit is if a burglar sees one they assume it’s likely attached to an alarm system too, whether it is or not. If you’d like to know more simply ask us to visit for a free consultation.  

There’s not a lot worse than being burgled.  On top of the loss of your possessions, some perhaps irreplaceable, it’s the loss of your sense of security and peace of mind that can be overwhelming. But it happens and according to the Office of National Statistics the most common reactions after a burglary are anger (58%) annoyance (57%) shock (52%) and fear (40%). So while everybody hopes it won’t happen to them if ever you find yourself to be a victim of a home invasion there are some critical things to do. Of course the first priority is to report the crime. The sooner you do the more chance that the police may ultimately catch the perpetrators. But there’s the matter of when you discover the burglary. If it’s already happened and there is no personal danger anymore the number to call is not actually 999, rather it’s the non-emergency number on 101. The police will then give you a crime reference number which you’ll need for your insurance claim. But what if you return home and suspect a burglar is still inside your home. In that case, don’t go in. Stay outside at a safe distance, perhaps in your car or at a neighbours. Call the police as soon as you can and if there’s opportunity to do so, photograph or film anybody leaving your property. Don’t confront them however, personal safety is still the most important thing.  Mind you, having said that, if you’re a big guy and it is just some teenage chancer carrying out the family silver, they might just drop everything and run. But that’s entirely on you. A even worse scenario is if a burglar breaks in and you as the householder are still at home. If that happens safely leave the property if you can. If not stay calm and find a room you can hide, preferably one where you can lock the door. Clearly a case to ring 999 but if you are truly fearful of the situation and think the intruders might hear, call 999 and then press 55. This is called the Silent Solutions line and it usefully informs the Police you’re in an emergency but unable to speak.  Once more though, if you’re home and you are that aforementioned big guy but now with access to a cricket bat or 5 iron, again what you do is up to you. They might just run a mile, I know I would.  Ultimately, the full impact of any burglary depends on your own circumstances. And since most of us are not big guys with hard sporting equipment, always, always, the first course of action is to be safe. But of course, safety first can apply to your home before a burglary and at Towergate we help with that. Just ask and we will provide a totally free security health, checking all points of home entry and your locks for their integrity. Then, is we do think an upgrade would be of benefit, we can explain exactly how and give you a free quote. After that it’s simply up to you. But dare we say, no matter who you are, or what size, it’ll be a much better bet for your home security than any golf club.     

Last time we spoke of choosing a good locksmith and we thought we’d expand on that a bit. Because while scam locksmiths, or just plain bad ones, are thankfully not that plentiful you definitely don’t want it to be you falling victim to one. So apart from vetting their company website and customer reviews as we suggested previously, what else might indicate a potential scammer or bad locksmith. A very low quote Yes, everyone wants the best price for any job but a much lower price than others probably comes with a reason. Especially if they quote without even having seen the job yet. Why are they so keen for the work? Does a ‘too good to be true’ price signal that their intentions aren’t? Or is it indicative of their confidence and skills? There’s only one way to find out but do you really want to risk a poor job at best and a security risk at worst? For anything other than the most clear cut jobs, a good locksmith would rather visit to provide a realistic quote. They’ll guide you through the best solutions for the project and answer any questions you have too. They’ll also provide a guarantee of quality on their work. This is what we do. We’ll visit you for a free, no obligation quotation and if you do give us the job all our work comes with an automatic 12 month parts and labour warranty. Cash only jobs Pay cash if you choose to but if your locksmith says you have to, that’s a danger sign right there. It’s not like any professional trader needs to lug around a big credit card terminal anymore. But if there is a reasonable cause for cash only payment they should at least provide a receipt for the work. Without one you have no proof they were there at all or any recourse if the job is done poorly. A recognised locksmith will always provide a receipt after a job including a full breakdown of the work and their company details. We certainly do, it also acts as our 12 month warranty. I think we’ve mentioned it already. Don’t act in haste If you’re locked out you might be less cautious about your choice of locksmith and scammers and less reputable firms know this. A quote that seemed acceptable on the phone suddenly goes sky high once they arrive. So even in times of stress, still do take the time and make sure you’re confident about your choice of locksmith. Because an old adage springs to mind that’s true for any profession or trade but this is our blog so we’ll unashamedly adapt it to our own. ‘If you think a good locksmith is expensive, wait until you hire a bad one.’ Enough said. (Ahem, for clarity’s sake, we’d just like to say that at Towergate, we are not expensive and you will find our prices very reasonable if you use us. And may we remind you…you also get a receipt.)