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Sunday, October 30, 2011

Locksmith Sentenced to 60 Days

The Capitol reports a locksmith in Maryland has received a 60 day criminal sentence for theft from his customers. The report states, "officials found that Horton quoted one person $85 to unlock a car, then charged $1,056. In another incident, Horton gave no quote, then charged $953 to unlock a truck. In yet another case, Horton charged $4,348 to drill and replace a lock and deadbolt, officials with the Attorney General's Office said."

Similar scams have been reported across the country, though few cases actually make it to court, and they are more often treated as civil cases, rather than criminal. This is one reason why it is important to find a legitimate locksmith you can trust before you find yourself in an emergency situation, vulnerable to vultures like the "locksmith" in Maryland. To help you locate a legitimate locksmith, the Society of Professional Locksmiths has a list on their site. Altic Lock Service is a member of the Society. Barry Campbell, Owner of Altic Lock Service is Managing Director of the Society.Altic Lock Service publishes its basic prices on its website.

If you believe you may have been taken advantage of, by someone posing as a professional locksmith, the Society of Professional Locksmiths offers invoice audit and estimate evaluation services, as well.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Thinking Outside the (Big) Box

There was an interesting article in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. We agree that the deadbolt lock is the heart of residential security, and that the door, lock, and frame must work as a single unit to provide the greatest security. But the article kind of falls apart when the manufacturers' representatives get their words in. For instance, the article states that, "Schlage and Kwikset both offer locks that are numerically programmed, eliminating tumblers that can be picked." The electronic locks eliminate nothing. Locks from both manufacturers still have mechanical key overrides. There is nothing wrong with that, but the statement in the article leaves the wrong impression. Electronic locks provide greater convenience, not security. It was also interesting that the article says the representatives spoke highly of rekeyable locks. Schlage has already issued a press release that they would discontinue those products at the end of this year.

Regardless, the sad part is that these companies are the ones that the media turns to for information on security. True, they sell the most product, mainly because they market low-priced products through the big box stores. They also provide the most ornate designs and the greatest variety of finishes. It is also true that you could do worse, with some of the other brands offered through normal retail channels. But locksmiths have access to products not available directly to the consumer that offer greater value, quality, and security. Altic Lock Service recommends Arrow brand products for residential use and most commercial applications. Simply put, you are not going to find the best locks at the big box stores.

Deadbolt article

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review has an interesting article on deadbolts. Just a shame that when they discussed products, they only talked with representatives from Schlage and Kwikset. For residential use, Altic Lock Service only recommends Arrow Lock products.
The Arrow Lock deadbolts are available as either touchpad or touchscreen models.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

What is protecting your home?

The most common residential locks have cylinders that can be removed from the front of the lock. Properly, the retaining springs are accessed from the back of the lock after it is removed from the door, but that is not necessary. The only things holding the cylinder in the lock are the retaining springs; more specifically, the small projections from the spring seen in the photo near the rounded end of the springs.

Many locksmiths have tools designed to remove the cylinders from the front of the lock with minimal damage. Thieves have tools that can remove cylinders as well, but they don't care if the lock will work again or not. These springs have also been known to come loose from the sides of the cylinder housings where they are attached. If the cylinder is removed from the front of the lock, it can then be easily opened.

Is this type of lock design cheap and easy for the manufacturers to produce? - Yes. Is this type of lock design what you want to depend on to protect your self, your family, or your property? - No, but it is a common construction for the locks you will find at the hardware store.

To encourage homeowners to upgrade to locks of greater security design, Altic Lock Service is offering free installation of Arrow brand locks for a limited time when you replace cheap locks like these. Call 317-490-1469 for the details of this offer.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Free Installation

From now until November 19, 2011, Altic Lock Service is offering free installation when you upgrade to Arrow brand leversets and deadbolts. Minimum purchase of 2 locks required. Call us at (317) 490-1469 for more details.