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Home Break-in

What to do after Home Break-in

Are you dealing with Home Break-in? Here are a few steps you need to take

We all hope it never happens, but statistics have revealed that an attempted break-in occurs every 15 seconds. This figure amounts to about 2.1 million burglary attacks every year, with most part affecting residential areas. What should you do if your apartment has been burgled? The following steps can help you manage the aftermath of a break-in successfully.

Call the Police

Although this might sound like a no-brainer, your instinct could cause you to act differently in the heat of the moment. But getting the police involved immediately is really important. If you think the burglar might still be inside, leave the home and call 911 immediately instead of confronting the criminal. If you feel safe going into the home, do not touch anything as this could destroy valuable evidence. Instead, take pictures of the damage done by the criminal – this could be useful to the police and insurance claim company.

Determine what is missing and file a report

Conduct a thorough assessment of your home to find out what is missing. This may include items such as your credit card which can be used for personal identity theft. Once you are sure about the stolen items, it is important to file a victim’s report. The police officer attending to your case should give you details that will help you file a report and if there was security footage of the event, the officer might help you take a footage file along.

File an Insurance Claim

Go through your insurance policy to see what you can make claim for following a burglary. Although you may think some low value items should not be included, you may discover there are provisions for such. Keep a record of every stolen or damaged item and following the submission of your request to the insurance company, an adjuster or investigator would be assigned to run checks in your home to verify your claims. Cooperate with your insurer and be ready to provide explanations for specific questions they might have. Staying in a hotel or moving in with a friend temporarily until the adjuster arrives would be a great idea so you do not tamper with the evidence.

Secure your home again

Securing your home again as quickly as possible is the next ideal step. After the police have left, ensure you get damaged windows and doors fixed so you can feel secure again. Call a locksmith in Tucson AZ to check the locks and get them fixed quickly.

Home Security

Realtor Locksmith Service

Realtors and Property Management Companies Locksmith Service

Locksmith Services for Realtors and Property Management Companies

As a professional realtor or property manager in the Tucson, Arizona area, you have a lot of responsibility which is why securing a reliable locksmith company needs to be among your top priorities to give you peace of mind when it comes to security and other lock and key needs at your properties. Locksmith services for realtors and property management companies include many necessary functions such as rekeying or changing locks in between occupants, providing and maintaining lock box security as well as liability prevention or possibly installing and maintaining a master key system. A locksmith will be able to handle all of your lock and key needs for all of your properties whether you are showing a house or renting to tenants.

As a realtor or property manager, it is your responsibility to ensure your tenants or potential buyers are safe, make sure you are in compliance with local property codes, keep up on routine maintenance or repairs, and perform your other day-to-day tasks. Ultimately, safety and security is your Number One concern.

 

Lock Boxes Keep Your Keys Secure

As a realtor or property manager, you have a great deal of responsibility on your shoulders to keep your tenants, buildings, and properties safe and secure at all times. As a realtor, or even as an apartment manager, you will have need to show a house or apartment to a potential buyer/renter. Obviously, you only want the proper people who work for you to be able to get inside. To make this process easier, a popular practice is to use a lock box where a key or an electronic key code is stored. These lock boxes require either a key to physically open it and access the key or a code that has been assigned specifically to you that will get you through the door.

 

Locksmith Services for Realtors

 

Important Things To Look For When Hiring Locksmith Services for Realtors & Property Management Companies

Since these locksmiths hold the key, quite literally, to your property or properties, you will want to select a reliable and trustworthy professional who will be by your side in no time when you need help to get the job done well the first time. You want someone you can establish a business relationship with over a long term.

Check with a vendor management system and ask for recommendations about qualified locksmiths near you. When you are deciding which locksmith company is best for you, call the company and listen to see how they answer the phone. If they answer with a generic reply rather than stating the full company name, keep looking since you have probably reached a national call center and not a local professional. Confirm the address of the company to make sure it is a legitimate location. Once you get a hold of a true professional locksmith company, ask if they are insured and bonded. Verify everything with the Better Business Bureau, your state’s Attorney General office or a local consumer protection agency. Before any work is done, be sure to get an estimate in writing. When the locksmith shows up, check out the vehicle to see if it is marked with the company’s logo or name, and always ask for identification, and expect a genuine locksmith professional to ask to verify your identification as well before opening any locks.

 

Bottom Line is You are Responsible to Provide Safety and Security to Your Properties

Choose your locksmith services for realtors & property management companies wisely, since ultimately, you are responsible for the safety and security of your building, houses you have for sale, and for the belongings and people inside.

Call a Locksmith

Why you need a locksmith when you move into new home

Are You Move Into a New Home? Call a Locksmith!

Getting the keys to a new home, apartment, or condominium is an exciting time. There are, however, things to think about besides closing on the deal and moving in your belongings. One of the first professionals to contact is a certified locksmith. Here is why you need a locksmith when you move into a new home.

Of course, if the key has ever been lost or stolen, you don’t know whose hands it has fallen into and whether or not it is in the hands of a would-be crook. In addition to this potential safety threat, there are most likely additional people who hold a copy of a key to your front door.

Unless you had the home built and personally selected the first locks to be put on the doors, it is very likely that someone else has a spare key to your locks making you vulnerable to a break-in. At the very least, even though the previous owner turned over the keys, it’s quite possible he or she still has a copy lying around or has forgotten that they gave a spare to a family member, a neighbor, a friend or a co-worker who now has access to your front door.

Some of these people who were once trusted by the previous owner to hand over the key to may now be someone with whom there is tension and reason to worry about potential revenge. These people include a former spouse or roommate. Divorce or roommate break ups are often very emotional and messy. You won’t want to be caught in the middle of such a dispute simply because you bought the house or rented the apartment they once shared.

Even if you had the home built, there is the potential that the builders or contractors who worked on the house may have access to a spare key. This is especially true, however, if you used a realtor to help you  purchase the house. While you may trust your realtor, the key may have been placed inside a lockbox, which means anyone using the MLS with access to the lockbox has had access to your key.

Locksmith for New Home

 

Feel Safe and Secure at Your New Home!

Ensure your locks are secure and you are the only one with a key to your home by calling a locksmith to come out and install new locks or have the existing ones rekeyed before you spend the night or begin moving in furniture and valuables.

Don’t stop at your front door lock alone. Make sure all of the locks on the outside of the home, including garage locks, gate locks, outside building locks, or a lock to your deck entry door or basement as well as any window locks are also replaced or rekeyed.

Why risk the safety of you, your family members, or your valuables when all it takes is one secure step of changing your locks. When you move into your Tuscon, Arizona area home, let our professionals from Tucson Locksmith 24 help you secure your locks before you move in your family and your valuables.

Protect Your Home

Are you traveling for the holidays? Tips to secure your home

Are you traveling for the holidays? Follow these helpful safe tips to secure your home before you leave Tucson for wherever it is you choose to celebrate the holidays.

 

Lock Your Doors, Windows and Gates

As simple as it sounds, the easy act of locking your existing locks before you leave is often enough to make a burglar think twice before your home becomes a target for crime. Many burglaries happen merely because a door or window was left unlocked. Locking them makes it more difficult for a crook to gain access to your home. Locking gates make it more challenging for a burglar to get access to the side or back of your house where they often lurk out of sight to gain entry. If your locks are inexpensive and not overly secure, consider installing high security locks, more secure locks before you leave.

Cancel Deliveries and Put Mail on Hold

Contact the post office and any newspaper or other scheduled deliveries such as newspapers or online orders to have them put on hold and canceled while you are away. If mail and newspapers stack up outside of your home, this is a red flag to a would-be burglar that no one is home and a welcome invitation for them to steal important information from the mail even if they never enter your house. If mail or newspapers do show up unexpected, have a neighbor on alert and willing to come by and pick them up to hold them for you until you return.

Keep Up The Yard

Make sure your lawn is mowed and landscaped kept up while you are away so that the home looks lived in. Ask a friend or neighbor to help out, or hire a professional landscaping company to come and mow or do the yard work. Don’t feel as if you need to explain to the landscaper that you are not home. They won’t typically need you to be home when they come to work, and the bills can usually be handled online.

Make Sure You’re Insured

Before you leave, make sure your home and its contents is insured or that your insurance is up to date. Make an inventory of your valuable items, and take pictures for record keeping sake. Keep a record of your policy and inventory in a safe place. Also make an electronic copy of your policy that you can store on your phone or mobile device so that if your documents are stolen or a fire or flood occurs while you are away, you will still have access to your insurance records and proof of what was stolen or damaged.

Home Security

Hide Valuables

Secure small items like expensive jewelry in a safe that is bolted to the wall or floor boards and out of sight. Larger items, like a television set, cannot easily be tucked away. However, be sure to draw your blinds or curtains so that these valuable items are not easily seen by a passer by through a window.

Call Forwarding

If you still have a landline in the home, a telephone that is constantly ringing or triggering an answering machine can be a red flag to a burglar that no one is home. Remedy this by having your phone calls forwarded to a cell phone while you are away.

Alarm System

An alarm system is a good deterrent for would-be criminals, and having that alarm system monitored by a service is even better. The monitoring company will typically call you first if an alarm is triggered and if you do not answer, they will immediately send police to check out your property and home.

Dog Barking

While many people get a dog for security purposes, a constantly barking dog can alert burglars that the owner is not home to tend to the pet. Never leave your dog outside unattended as this is also a red flag that the dog is alone, so the property must be unattended as well. If you can’t take your dog with you, have someone come to take care of your pet who will also act as a house sitter while you are away.

Call upon the help of a professional locksmith at Tucson Locksmith 24 to assess your locks to make sure your home is safe and secure.

Bump Key

Lock Bumping

When you are locked out of your home, the thought of lock bumping is probably going to cross your mind. If not, you need to know that it is a common technique used for those wanting to gain access to your home for all of the wrong reasons, to break in. Lock bumping requires a special, filed-down key and an object that can be used for blunt force. If you try it yourself when you are locked out, you risk leaving damage to your doors or locks. You’re better off calling a locksmith to get you back inside. The locksmith may actually use a bump key to open your lock, but will not typically leave damage behind. However, it is interesting to understand how lock bumping works, so you can have your locks evaluated and assess how safe and secure they really are.

 

Also known as the “999 Method”, lock bumping has been around for decades. To bump a lock, a special key is placed inside the keyhole and then manipulated. Lock bumping requires the use of a bump key. Bump keys can be purchased online or made by carefully filing down the right parts of the key. A bump key has a straighter edge on the prong side. They are used on spring-loaded pin stack locks. When the bump key is inserted into the keyhole, you use force to bump all the pin stacks into an open position so the lock is able to be turned.

Lock bumping takes a lot of patience and skill to ensure all of the pins are lined up in the proper position before applying force. With a bump key you may need to use a bump hammer to get it done properly. The bump hammer is smaller than a regular hammer. It is used to gently bump the key until the lock is opened.


Bump Key - Lock Bumping


Bumping a lock is a common technique used by would-be burglars. To ensure your locks are safe from lock bumping, take some steps as follows:

Make your home unattractive for crooks by keeping the landscaping around the doors and windows clean and trimmed. If a crook has no place to hide, he or she will move onto the next home.

Install security cameras. Successful lock bumping thieves are often so skilled in their work that they leave behind no evidence of break-in. If you have video surveillance footage of them breaking in, your insurance company will be more likely to pay the claim of damage since you have proof.

Install anti-lock bumping devices on your locks. One of the quickest and most effective devices is one that has a bar that prevents the thumb lock to turn. You may also consider installing security pins or high security locks. Ultimately, keyless deadbolt locks are among the highest security against lock bumping since there is no key to physically insert for bumping.

Master Key

Master Key System

What is, and who needs, master key system?

A master key system allows one key, which is given to authorized personnel, to open more than one lock to have access to different doors within the master key system. Master key systems allow one key to open up to as many locks as you need.

Landlords, cleaning crews, hotel housekeeping staffs, schools, college campuses, and offices all benefit from using a master key system since it eliminates the need to have a huge key chain filled with keys and also allows for implementing specific security measures within the master key system.

Master key systems offer convenience, security, and affordability. The convenience allows specific keys to open doors in specified areas. Master key systems provide an added level of security to spaces that are heavily populated because it keeps staff, students, or other visitors or employees out of places where they are not authorized to be. These systems are less expensive than you may thing. They are inexpensive to install and easy and affordable to upgrade.

 

How Does a Master Key System Work?

So, exactly what is, and who needs, master key system? Most master key systems use a pin tumbler lock. Pin tumbler locks open when the driver pin and key pin in the pin stack are elevated above the shear line after the key is inserted and turned.

The key pins are all of varying sizes, but the driver pin is of a universal size. The key that is inserted into the lock has to have the right set of grooves to lift the key pins to the needed height.

When a pin tumbler locking system is converted to a master key system, a master wafer pin is added that goes between the driver and key pin. Once this wafer pin is inserted the pin stack has two shear lines. One shear line is for the pin stack and one is above or below the line that allows the master key to work.

 

Parts of a master key system include:
  • Change Key – The change key is also sometimes referred to as the sub-master key. It is the lowest level on a master key system. Its purpose is that it opens only one lock or one type of lock.
  • Master Key – The top level key in a master key system that is able to open every lock under it.
  • Grand Master Key (These can grow and branch of up to Great Grand Master Keys and additional layers as needed) – In more complicated systems, these are the highest level keys that will open every lock beneath it.

 

Master Key System
Master Key System

Pros of a Master Key System

The benefits of having one master key that opens several locks allows you convenience so as not to have to juggle several keys, and it also allows you to control who has access to specific areas.

 

Cons of a Master Key System

One possible downside is that the pin and tumbler locks typically used within a master key system are easier to pick than other high-security lock options. There are ways to increase your security within the system, and if you use a master key withing a building, it is a good idea to install a heavy duty secure lock on the outside of the property.

 

To make your master key system more secure, talk to a professional about adding elements of added security. Some secure extras include using electronic controls, installing sidebars, implementing master rings or restricted keys, employing multiple cylinders, disk detainer locks, or using separate master key systems for different work groups or locks on separate parts of the building.

When you are wondering what is, and who needs, master key system, contact a local commercial locksmith who will be able to recommend the best system for your needs. Have a master key system installed, customized to your specific needs, and maintained with the help of a knowledgeable and skilled professional locksmith.

Keypad Door Lock for Your Back to School Kids

Keypad Door Lock for Your Back to School Kids

Keyless Locks for Your Back to School Kids

When it is back to school time, your safety concerns turn to those of your children who may be getting off of a school bus while you are still at work and need to let themselves in. Keypad door lock for your back-to-school kids is a smart choice. It means your child will not ever have to worry about losing a key, and it adds extra safety and security to your home.

 

Keypad Lock

 

Benefits Of A Keypad Door Lock For Your Back-To-School Kids

Trusting your child with a key can create security issues for your child and your family. Not only is a child likely to lose a key but having a key makes would-be thieves notice and possibly attempt to steal the key for someone to use or duplicate for later use. Also, locks that use keys are typically easier to pick or bump open with a break-in attempt. There are additional benefits to using a keypad instead of a traditional key.

 

Convenience

When you leave your home, you don’t need to find your key to lock it. A keyless entry system will automatically lock behind you as you close the door. And, don’t worry about trying to find your key to have in hand to open your doors. Don’t worry about a key at all. All you have to do is remember a code which can be changed as needed.

 

Scheduled Controls

If you’re worried about your child remembering the code, some keypad door locking systems allow you to schedule times when the doors should be locked or unlocked. This allows you to have full control over when your doors are locked and when they are open.

 

Added Safety and Security

When your and your child’s schedules collide, and you are not there when your child arrives home from school, you have the peace of mind knowing that your child will not be locked out of the house waiting for you to arrive at risk for strangers passing by and taking advantage of their predicament. Keypad door locks do away with the need for your child to keep track of a house key. When they come home from school, they are able to let themselves in even if you are not there. A keyless entry system also allows extra security when you have young children or a special needs child who would be in danger if they were to open the doors from the inside. As soon as your child is inside, the locks close behind you keeping them safe and secure inside.

 

Durable

A traditional lock and key system wears down and eventually stops working properly after frequent, everyday use which can make it difficult for little hands to open or may even cause a key to break off inside the keyhole leaving the child stuck outside.

 

When it’s back to school time, it’s time to look into a keypad door lock for your back-to-school kids. Contact a qualified locksmith professional today who can walk you through which keyless entry is best for your family and will be able to install it on the spot or at your convenience.

Locksmith Near Me

Locksmith Near Me

Locksmith Tucson Near Me

Finding a trustworthy and efficient nearby locksmith is important. When you are stranded outside of your house, office, or vehicle or find that you have lost your keys or have been burglarized, you will be asking, “Where is there a locksmith near me?” You need a locksmith who not only understands the intricate workings of locks and keys but also will show up quickly, get the job done, and not disappear when you have a warranty issue. If you own a business or have dealings with circumstances that rely on working locks, a local locksmith is the answer as well.

Though, we may not give it much thought, we live in a world where locks and keys are a necessary part of everyday life. Even if it is a digital key code, you use a key to lock up your house, to start your car, and to open the door to your office. You might even have a key to your mailbox, garage door, or a storage facility. Locks and keys are everywhere. Because of this, lock and key maintenance, repairs, and replacements are also necessary, which is why there are professionals who make it their business to specialize in locks and keys.

These professionals are known as locksmiths. While there are most likely many competent and trustworthy locksmiths in your area, there are also those who spring up locksmith companies that are designed for the sole purpose of taking advantage of unknowing customers. These companies will often advertise that they are local when they are, in fact, nothing more than a front for making money at your expense. When you need a locksmith, it’s important to know there is a nearby professional who is trustworthy who will show up when you need lock or key assistance to offer the help you need.


Locksmith Tucson Near Me

Looking for Locksmith Near You?

Call Tucson Locksmith 24 !


Why A Local Locksmith Is Important

In your frantic attempt to find an affordable locksmith Tucson near me, it is most likely during a moment of panic and urgency. The ad that pops up on a Google search or in a local listing will claim that the locksmith is local only to discover that your call went to a nationwide call center, and the locksmith they dispatched is coming from several miles away, is not familiar with the area, and may be difficult to track down if something goes wrong with the services they rendered.

When you are in an emergency situation, you need the peace of mind that comes with knowing the locksmith Tucson near me is really local, knows how to find you on the neighborhood streets, and is a locksmith with whom you will be able to establish a relationship to call upon for future lock and key needs and a company that is still around to back their warranty promises.


Find a Reliable and Affordable Locksmith Tucson Near Me

When you are locked out or stranded in unfamiliar surroundings and feel unsafe, you have no time to waste looking for a trustworthy and affordable locksmith nearby. Do a little research before you find yourself in an emergency so you are assured that the locksmith you call is a locksmith who is local and ready to do the quality work you need.

Home Lockout

Home Lockout

Locked out of your home?

The door just shut and latched behind you, and your keys are nowhere to be found. You are locked out of your house or apartment. If this has ever happened to you, you know far too well that sinking, helpless feeling. The most important thing to remember is to not panic. Though, this is so much easier to say than to actually do when you need it.

Hopefully, you have prepared for home lockout situation and have a spare key that you have left with a trusted neighbor or friend just in case. Maybe you carefully hid a house key out of sight and in a location passers by would never think to look for a key. If so, you are in luck and back inside quickly. If not, there are other steps you can take when you are locked out of your house.


Home Lockout Service

Call Our Home Lockout Service At: (520) 314-4140


If you are locked out of your apartment, maybe you have a roommate you live with who will be able to stop by to let you inside. If it is during business hours, you might first stop by the apartment complex office, or call the landlord to ask if they will come let you in.

Of course, if you are locked out of your house that you own, there is no landlord to call and no apartment office to stop into. The weight of figuring out how to get back inside to retrieve your key or get a duplicate key made is all upon your shoulders. The thought of picking the lock with a proverbial hairpin or credit card crosses your mind as does the idea of breaking into your own house through a window, or maybe you left a back or garage entry door unlocked. However, those ideas quickly fade at the thought of the damage you may end up leaving as well as the time it’s going to take to try each do-it-yourself solution.


Locked Out of Your Home? Keys Locked Inside? Call Us Now!


Go ahead and call that locksmith when you are locked out of your house or apartment. A qualified and local locksmith will show up in no time to get your lock open without damaging your locks. The mobile locksmith will come equipped with the right tools to get the job done so fast that it won’t mess up your schedule for the day.

Once you are back, safely inside with key in hand, it’s time to develop a plan to avoid any future lockouts. Start by giving a spare key or two to a close friend or a neighbor you trust who will be willing to drop what they are doing to come to you with the key should you need it. If you don’t want to inconvenience your friends or neighbors, find a smart hiding place for a spare key, which doesn’t mean hiding it under the front door mat. Be smart, and hide it in an inconspicuous place. You might even want to consider installing a key-less entry system. That way you will never have to worry about keys.

Don’t worry! You will be back inside your home in no time. Call upon the services of a locksmith you trust who will come to you to help get you back inside to safety when you are locked out of your house or apartment.

Call Our Tucson Home Lockout Service At: (520) 314-4140

Lost Key

Lost Keys

Lost Keys – Tucson Locksmith 24

When it happens to you, it doesn’t seem like an easy fix and is probably at the most inconvenient time. However, lost keys scenarios are one of the most common situations that professional locksmiths take care of on a daily basis.

The moment you realize you have lost your set of keys is usually a moment of panic! Without the keys, you cannot unlock your door. Whether, it is your lost car keys, lost house key, or the key that opens your office at work, a qualified locksmith Tucson is able to show up where you are and get you a new key made on the spot, even electronic keys can be programmed. Once you have a working set of keys, a locksmith will be able to provide you with the extra measure of security you need, such as re-keying the lock, providing you with a locks change service, or installing a keyless entry system so you never have to worry about lost keys again.


Lost Keys Tucson


Lost Car Keys

When you have lost your car keys, the first and most important step is to get a new key made so you can get into your car, start the ignition, and be on your way. A locksmith is able to come to you and make you a duplicate key in no time. Keys can even be cut based upon your individual VIN.

 

Lost Electronic Key Fobs or Transponder Keys

With newer model vehicles, there is an added obstacle of electronic or transponder keys. A knowledgeable locksmith who handles lost keys situations will be able to program a new key to work with your automobile at a price that is a lot more affordable than a car dealership will charge.

 

Lost House Keys

When your house keys are lost, your first concern is getting back inside your house. Your next worry will be to determine whose hands your lost keys have fallen into. If you are uncertain who has access to your key, you should consider getting your locks re-keyed or changed, which will provide you with a new key to open your lock and a complete peace of mind knowing you are the only one who has access to your house keys.

 

Keyless Entries

If you are prone to losing keys, consider changing out your traditional lock and key for an electronic keyless entry pad. It is time to talk to your locksmith about installing a keyless entry system. With a key less locks, or electronic, entry system, you will never have to worry about lost keys again. You set a code, and change the code as needed.


Lost Key? Tucson Locksmith 24 Can Help!

Regardless of whether you have lost your house keys or your car keys, a trusted locksmith will be able to come to you and get you a new set of keys in a hurry to get you back inside and back on course with your day or on the road again. Before the need arises, it is a good idea to have the number of a locksmith company you trust so you can be sure they will show up on call and never overcharge you for an emergency.

When the locksmith arrives, you will be asked to show proof that you either own the vehicle or live at the place of residence you are trying to gain access to. Many times, all that is needed is a valid driver’s license or insurance card. This step is for your protection, giving you the added peace of mind knowing that no one else would ever be able to use a locksmith to gain entry to your locked car, home, or office, The locksmith is not in business to be an accessory to a crime of breaking and entering or grand theft auto, so be prepared to show proof before the locksmith will be able to get started.Lost Keys Tucson

Tucson Locksmith 24 offer full range of locksmith service in Tucson AZ. We are available around the clock, and always happy to help. Feel free to call us 24/7 for more information. You can count on us with any of your lock and key project!