External Key Safe

SimonR: you are right in that there are many easy (generally destructive) ways to gain entry to a premises.

As is always the case with security the most common failure point is humans.

How are most modern cars - with many security devices built in - stolen? Mostly from people leaving doors unlocked, someone wandering in and grabbing keys from the kitchen counter...

But low skill break and enter wasn't the subject of discussion - the subject is keysafes and which ones are good to buy.

kindai: Yes.
 
As a former Police officer, I have seen many of the ways that criminals gain access to properties (I have attended hundreds) and 99.9% of them are not subtle or sophisticated. Brute force and opportunism are the preferred methods of the average criminal. I can honestly say I have never arrested or heard of anyone arrested with lockpicks on them, lots of screwdrivers (large), hammers, jemmies, prybars - you get the idea. Similarly bike thefts, shed breaks, outbuildings etc.
 
landyvlad said:
I was going to reference him - glad someone did!



Yes and no. More like 'Some are less worse than others"



I'm surprised police recommend any!




THIS is the key (see what I did there) thing to consider. If you put a key safe and someone gets the key from that to open your house it may be an excuse for your insurance company NOT to pay you. Nobody wants that.


At work we long ago ditched push button combination locks - they are just completely unreliable as a security device.
(My dad has one on his shed and I'm trying to convince him to get something else).
Consumer & many commercial grade 'padlock' style combo locks are just as bad and can usually be picked with a low grade unskilled attack.

Cheap electronic locks are usually just as bad (sometimes worse) due to the way they are wired up (or designed) leaving them vulnerable or the pathetically easily picked key bypass. I've seen gun safes with really inadequate electronic locks where even a half decent key lock would have been infinitely more secure. I refuse to have an electronic gun safe.

Their ONLY selling point is convenience but since many people are lazy it seems to do the trick. :D
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What everyone is forgetting is they’re not supposed to be used when there is nobody home, they’re supposed to be used to let carers and family in and save someone who is unstable on there feet having to get to the door.

It’s safer than leaving a door unlocked when you’re home. As for insurance if you get one of the two police recommended ones then they’re fine about it.

I agree having no key safe takes away all risk but there original intended purpose was to stop the elderly from leaving there front doors unlocked and shouting “come in”
 
kindai said:
Wind your neck in.

If you actually bothered to watch any of his videos you will see a lot of locks, and especially keysafes can be bypassed within seconds. Some its quicker to bypass the lock than even enter the code.



Sounds like a you problem.



Yes
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What utter nonsense
 
You are so funny, this guy is a competition lock picker, that is what he does, of course he makes it look easy. Its a fact that Pele could volley a goal from 100 yards, but can everyone do it, heck no, professionals like this spend thousands of hours honing these skills, then when they are absolutely perfect hey post their 3 minute video on Youtube so people like you can lap it up, like the good little money generators that you are. As I have said, as a former serving Police Officer who has attended hundreds of break ins, it doesnt happen. As the insurance industry, who have millions of hours of experience in this field and are putting their money where their mouth is and are approving these key safes for commercial and domestic use, probably know far better than some' bloke on the internet who has seen some Youtube videos'. I'd quit whilst you are ahead as you are starting to lose any remaining credibility on this topic,
 
I'll leave it now, as a wise man once said, 'dont argue with IDIOTS, they will drag you down to their level, and beat you with experience'.
 
SimonR said:
I'll leave it now, as a wise man once said, 'dont argue with IDIOTS, they will drag you down to their level, and beat you with experience'.
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Another one for you, "dont start a fight you cant win". More appropriate here.
 
I thought you were going to leave it here :) Ta ta.

kindai said:
Another one for you, "dont start a fight you cant win". More appropriate here.
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Read it and take heed.

Just going to point out, you're the one whos come in "guns blazing" with all your "extensive knowledge" and starting an argument, to basic factual statements which you have no rebuttal. You started a fight against air and just look a bit silly swinging your arms widly at nothing.

I'll accept this as your apology for being a bit of a prat about it all. I know, probably a bitter pill to swallow being an ex copper and all that.
 
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landyvlad said:
Might be tome to walk away from this thread everyone...
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I have to take Simon's side.
My best mates son has been a Copper for 20+ years and I asked him on Saturday night about Key Safes.
He said in the 100s of burglaries he's attended he's never seen a Key Safe smashed open or picked, they just go straight through the door or window.
 
SexyGreyFox said:
I have to take Simon's side.
My best mates son has been a Copper for 20+ years and I asked him on Saturday night about Key Safes.
He said in the 100s of burglaries he's attended he's never seen a Key Safe smashed open or picked, they just go straight through the door or window.
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I would assume that's because in the ones where the Key Safe has been bypassed and the keys used to open the door or the lock has been picked, the victims don't even notice they've been burgled for a few weeks since there are no obvious signs? :p

You'd be surprised how easy some locks are to pick or bypass. After being inspired by a few LPL videos I picked up a cheap lockpick set from Ebay to have a go on some old locks. After spending a while practicing on the clear practice lock which came with it, I tried the cheapo £10 masterlock which was on my shed... took 5 minutes for basically a complete beginner. Opened my elderly neighbour's gate padlock in a few seconds with a wave rake (with her permission after she managed to lock herself out), and similarly raked open my mother-in-law's safe when she lost the key. The old Yale eurocylinders which were previously on the house doors were a bit more difficult and took several hours of practice, but were still doable. For someone with a bit more practice and experience I can easily see how it would take seconds. Never mind how easy it is to shim some padlocks or just to "feel" the combination by exerting a bit of force on the shackle!

Sure, maybe it's easier and quicker to stick a brick through the window, but it's also a lot noisier and more obvious - if I was going to break into someone's shed in the middle of the night I know which option I would choose...
 
I just put mine under a particular stone. To me that's more secure/safe than a key box. Especially if you're away on holiday!
 
Haggisman said:
I would assume that's because in the ones where the Key Safe has been bypassed and the keys used to open the door or the lock has been picked, the victims don't even notice they've been burgled for a few weeks since there are no obvious signs? :p
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I've just had a reply back off this, Craig wants to know where you live that's so posh because he's never come across burglars that tidy their mess up :)
 
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