Lock Fitting

Increase In Burglary

There haven’t been many advantages to lockdown. I guess it’s been a time where you can catch up with box sets, save a bit of money on petrol and eating out, and get to know which member of your close family annoys you the most. But apart from that it’s slim pickings. As opposed to Slim Pickens, who you may have seen if you’ve also been catching up on films from the 50s and 60s. 

However, one advantage has been the reduction in burglaries. The reason for this is pretty obvious – most burglars target properties that are empty, and during the past 4 or 5 months, houses have rarely been left unoccupied, save for those of key workers who live alone or with other key workers. 

Barnsley Locksmiths During COVID 19

Well, it’s May already then. Time is very peculiar recently. March seemed to last 87 years and yet April has flown by. Or so it seems to me, maybe that’s not universal. Regardless, we’re living in the strangest of times, and I hope this finds you as well as possible given the circumstances. Was thinking the other day how you would explain the current situation to a time traveller from 2010. “Well, the bloke from the Apprentice is US President, Boris Johnson is our Prime Minister, and we’re only allowed out of our house once a day for a state-authorised walk.” They’d have carted you away to the funny farm. 

The Role Of Locks in Films

I don’t know if you saw the Oscars a few weeks back – you may remember that the best Picture Award went to Parasite, beating off competition from the likes of 1917 and Jojo Rabbit. Parasite is an excellent film, by the way, and as its victory has annoyed Donald Trump, that’s another facet in its favour. 

Without giving away too many spoilers, there is a plot point in Parasite surrounding a locked passageway, and this got me thinking about the role that locks and keys have played in films. Right from the beginnings of cinema they’ve played a pivotal role. You only have to travel 8 years into cinema’s history to find Edwin S Porter’s The Great Train Robbery in 1903. The gang there didn’t really bother with keys, instead preferring to use dynamite to blow the safe on the train and steal the valuables within.

Xmas Tips From A Barnsley Locksmith

As a Christmas “treat”, and with huge apologies to Clement Clarke Moore whose poem I may have shamelessly stolen and amended to reflect a more security conscious age... 

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the properly secured house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse, as they’d been prevented entry by recently-fitted anti snap locks.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, but far enough from the fire to ensure no fire hazard presented itself.
In hopes that no-one soon would be there, for the locks, alarms and security lights should act as a real deterrent. 

Things to be aware of in Winter

Halloween will soon be upon us. I know this because going into Home Bargains the other day I was confronted with an aisle wholly devoted to Christmas. The Halloween section had been there since July, of course, and no doubt the Easter aisle will be in place before the end of November. 

With Halloween, comes all things spooky and a slew of horror films being released. I was pondering on these the other day and wondering how different some of the classic horror movies would have been had the participants paid more attention to home security. I know, I lead quite the life, don’t I? 

Different lock types for homes

Well hello there and a very Happy New Year to you. I don’t want to get all Mystic Meg on you but I’m sure that 2018 will be the year that a lot of things happen and some things don’t happen, whilst other things might happen. And remember, you heard it here first. 

Everyone’s heads can be in a bit of a muddle at this time of year what with the over-indulgence throughout Christmas, the not knowing which year to put on your cheques (if indeed anyone even writes cheques any more), and the knowledge that Donald Trump is inexplicably coming up to the first anniversary of his presidency. 

I thought I’d do my bit for the de-cluttering of your head by penning a quick reminder of the various types of locks you can get for your front door. I know, right -  it’s the New Year’s gift you never knew you wanted, but whereas the intricacies of gym memberships or the bank holiday affected bin calendar may be befuddling you, at least you’ll never be caught out by not knowing the difference between a nightlatch or a deadlock. 

Add an extra level of security with Ultion locks

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Advice on key safety

Did you hear about that time that Robert Louis Stevenson was sacked from his job as a maintenance man at the bird reserve? They had no choice really – he decked a jackal and missed a hide. I’ve told that joke to literally dozens of people now and not one of them have laughed, so this was my final go. I can sense the tumbleweed, but drop me a postcard or telegram if you did chuckle just so that I have some form of validation. Regardless of all that, there is a tenuous connection between that ‘joke’ and the subject of today’s blog which will all be about hiding keys – asking whether you should, and if so, the places you should definitely avoid. 

Ideally, you would never hide your house keys around your property. The safest place for them to be is on your person at all times. Hiding originals or duplicates anywhere away from you runs the risk of an unintended “seeker” coming across them, and gaining the easiest of access to your property. If you must hide them though, here are a few places you should certainly side-step. 

What are rim night latches?

Well, I had a draft of this blogpost written, giving thanks that all the excitement of the elections was over and adding that I thought I spoke for most of us when I said "STOP ASKING US THINGS, PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD."  That draft didn't age well as I had rather assumed some normality would have returned by the time this was posted, but it appears that might not quite be the case, and the never-ending cycle of political news rolls on and on.

Mortice lock description

Well hello, I seem to have found a small window in amongst the never-ending elections in order to pen a new blog. Don't worry, I'll be staying well away from the politics today - after various referendums, elections both sides of the Atlantic, and the recent local and mayoral elections, I'd be quite happy never to see another party election broadcast ever again. The only "strong and stable" you'll hear from me will only relate to any locks I recommend you have fitted, and I promise not to bang on about it as often as some people do.