LockRite Locksmith Shaftesbury News & Updates

Thieves are using stickers advertising a fictitious local locksmith company to mark homes which are an 'easy target'. The criminals carry out a preliminary reconnaissance on the area and mark houses which are deemed as having poor security measures in place. They later return to break into the houses which have already been marked as targets. The authorities are advising residents to remove the stickers immediately if they see any on their doors or windows. Is your home secure?  Call us today on 01747 448889 to arrange a security check on your premises. You can read more about this story at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-24994148

There are several good reasons why you should consider choosing LockRite when looking for a locksmith in Shaftesbury.

• All our locksmiths are DBS (CRB) checked which means they do not have a hidden criminal past.
• The price quoted is the price you pay. We do not artificially inflate prices on the doorstep like some unscrupulous locksmith companies.
• LockRite is a national and trusted brand but all our locksmiths are self employed individuals who live within, or close to, your area.  By choosing LockRite you are choosing to support local business, keeping money within your local economy.
• If it is an emergency we can usually be on our way to you immediately and we will show up (unlike some companies who say they will but don't, wasting your time).

It has been a great summer but avoid costly repairs and get your locks serviced before they get jammed or fail … The extreme weather variations this year from the icy winter and snow through to the glorious summer heatwave has caused many problems with all types of doors and windows. UPVC frames contracted in the winter and expanded in the summer, many have drifted out of alignment with bolts and rollers rubbing and hinges sagging. These doors urgently need re-aligning before the mechanisms fatigue and break or worse they fail when the door is locked with costly effort to open and repair. Get Alan from Lockrite to survey problem doors and provide practical service, alignment and repair. Workmanship is guaranteed providing the reassurance your doors will offer trouble free operation through future seasonal extremes.

Garage thefts were highly common last year with opportunists regularly climbing over garden walls and seeking unlocked garages or doors with easy access. Don’t be a victim this year in the lead up to Christmas. Get your garage door security upgraded in line with your house. Side doors can be fitted with 5 lever mortice locks providing solid reliable insurance approved locking. Up and over doors can be fitted with secondary bolt locks or ground anchored bull bars to prevent forced entry. Alan from Lockrite can provide a free inspection and provide economic practical solutions to secure your stores, garages and outbuildings. Your insurance company will be pleased to hear and may even lower your premium, leaving more money to fill the garage with more unwanted gifts! Just call 01747 448889 to book your free, no obligation inspection.

A recent spate of thefts in the Littledown area has seen prized positions stolen from residential garages. Make sure your garage is not the next to be burgled with secondary security fitted for Garage doors, especially when you’re away on holiday. Ground secured bars supplied and installed for just £99.00 all inclusive of locks, labour and VAT. Call your local Shaftesbury Locksmith now on 01747 448889

Often, the weakest link in UPVC door mechanisms are the Lock cylinders themselves. Multipoint locks may have numerous hooks, multiple bolts and many rollers but if the key cylinder can be easily compromised then the door is vulnerable to break-in. Get Alan from Lockrite locksmiths to check your lock cylinder meets expectations to prevent opportunists from bumping, snapping or picking your locks and let your insurers know you have the right locks in place which may help reduce your premiums. Call now on 01747 448889

The heat wave is proving problematic with UPVC door mechanisms and hinges where doors are slipping out of alignment and causing damaging stress to locking mechanisms. Alan at Lockrite has been repairing and aligning all makes and models of UPVC lock mechanisms to ensure your locks wont jam or fail and avoid costly replacement. Get LockRite Shaftesbury to re-align your door through hinge adjustment, reposition misplaced keeps and align latch settings for problem free UPVC door operation and improved weather seal.

Alan from Lockrite quotes ‘ I am being increasingly asked by care homes to find innovative ways of keeping residents in and intruders out. This week we fitted the Borg 6100, a Mechanical and Keyless UPVC Handle Combination, to a prominent care home in Bournemouth. Allowing the care home managers to let visitors in through the use of a simple 5 button keypad on the inside of the door and a split spindle arrangement for locking handle on the outside. Special UPVC lock adaptations allow the lock to be overridden by key in emergency or if code is lost’. Care Home Manager explained the benefits: ‘this system provides reliable access control without having to carry different keys about or issuing them to staff and we can relax in the knowledge that our residents are safe and won’t go wandering off – an excellent solution, thankyou.

There are many factors to consider when choosing a locksmith in Shaftesbury.  Our checklist below should help you when making a decision.

• Check the locksmith is DBS (CRB) checked.  This will reveal whether they have a hidden criminal past.  You need someone you can trust working with your home security, so if they do not have a clean DBS (CRB) check walk away.
• Check the price quoted is what you will pay.  Many locksmiths will quote one price on the phone only to bump the price up dramatically once the work has been undertaken.  Make sure you know what you will be paying before work commences and sign something agreeing to the charges.
• Make sure you are happy with what the locksmith says regarding your home security and don't be pressurised into an expensive upsell.  Not all locks are equal, and some cheaper locks do not provide adequate security for home insurance purposes so make sure if you're having new locks installed they are right for you.
• Always use a trusted locksmith with a decent reputation and accountability.  There are many rogue traders who just want to rip customers off.  Check their websites for testimonials and guarantees.  If anything looks or feels dodgy, walk away and find another locksmith.
• Call their advertised number and see how long it takes them to answer.  If calls are left ringing with no answer or diverts to voicemail numerous times it could indicate they will be difficult to get hold of if there is a problem with their work.  Use a locksmith who answers their phone!

Hopefully this checklist will help you to choose the best Shaftesbury locksmith for your needs. All LockRite locksmiths are DBS (CRB) checked and will always confirm the price you will pay before commencing any work. Call 01747 448889 now for a free, no obligation quote.

Many of Britain’s van drivers could be putting themselves at risk of theft without the correct  level of insurance cover according to a survey by a leading insurance comparison website. Approximately 65% of van owners surveyed, which included many small businesses, said they used their vans to transport tools, goods or equipment and over half of those surveyed said they left items in their vehicles overnight. Approximately 10% of those surveyed also admitted to selecting the 'social only' insurance level to reduce insurance costs which would not be adequate for a business/commercial insurance claim. Van drivers put their vehicles at risk of theft

Be sure your expensive belongings are not visible from the home's exterior. Large windows let in a lot of light, but they also allow outsiders to see inside your living space. If your windows face a street, be sure they're always covered and have your valuables safe. Never let a stranger inside. Be wary of those who come to your door selling products, asking for help, or telling sob stories. There are people that just want to go into your home to see if you've got a type of home security system, and if they see that you don't, they'll return when you're not home. Keep your car in your garage. Having the car in the garage will prevent it from getting broken into or stolen. Additionally, if your car is put away, burglars will not be able to tell whether or not you are home. Do not keep the code on a electronic garage door opener. The code that comes with the unit is the same for every unit sold. This means a thief can just pick up a garage door opener for your model of garage door and open it right up if you haven't changed the code.

What does safety mean to you? It should mean knowing all you can about home security. It is important to ensure your valuables and loved ones are safe when in your residence. Locksmith If you are moving into a new home, the first thing you should do to make your home more secure is to change the locks. You do not have to change the actual locks, a locksmith can re-key the locks to make them inaccessible with any of the previous keys. To avoid being accidentally locked out of their own home, some people like to hide a key to their house in various outside places, such as under a flower pot, under the welcome mat or inside a fake rock in their landscaping. If you are guilty of this behaviour, stop immediately! Numerous home invasions occur because the intruder searched for a hidden key and found it. It will be less costly to call a locksmith than it is to replace your stolen valuables. Locks Keep your windows locked. It seems like an obvious step to take, however many people simply forget to check the locks on their windows. Thieves are always looking for the easiest way into a home, and doors and windows are among the first entrance points they check. This includes screened windows too, as screens can pop off quite easily. If you let any service or delivery people into your home, make sure you check your window locks. Unscrupulous workers will sometimes use a legitimate job to "case" a home, leaving a back window unlocked for easy entry when they return later. Do a quick check after anyone you don't know well has had access. Your home is your castle, but it will be nothing more than a pit of despair if you don't protect it and what resides inside. This article has given you the knowledge you need, but it is up to you to implement it. Start today and rest well tonight, tomorrow and into the future.

When calling a locksmith it is important to know what type of lock needs fixing or replacing.  Use our visual guide below to identify your particular lock type. Wood Door uPVC Door Aluminium Door

The latest UK crime statistics show an alarming rise in vehicle thefts involving the use of a key with 25 percent of all stolen vehicles now being taken with the original key or a cloned copy. It is important to lock your car, even when kept in a garage, and ensure your car keys are kept out of sight from the opportunist thief as a car which is stolen with the use of a key is unlikely to be covered in the event of an insurance claim.

As autumn approaches and the temperatures start to drop the nights start closing in.  Unfortunately darker evenings mean more opportunities for burglars so it's essential to look at your home security and make sure it's up to the job.  Anti snap locks, deadbolts and window locks will help to prevent most opportunist thieves and security lighting will deter intruders. If you are unsure how secure your home is, call your local LockRite Shaftesbury locksmith today on 01747 448889 to arrange a home security survey.

As summer approaches and the days get warmer it is natural to leave windows open and doors ajar to keep homes cooler.  Unfortunately this can be an open invitation to the "sneak-in" opportunist burglar who will take advantage of open doors and windows and make off with small, expensive items such as mobile phones and laptops, or even a set of house keys to return later when the house is empty or everyone is asleep. If a burglary takes place without any visible signs of forced entry it can invalidate insurance claims, so it is important to remain security conscious in the summer.  One way to help prevent "sneak-in" burglaries is to install door security chains and window restrictors.  This allows doors and windows to be left open slightly while offering enough security to deter an opportunist thief. Call your local Shaftesbury locksmith on 01747 448889 today to discuss your home security needs.

Do you know how many sets of keys are in circulation to your new home? How many generations of people have lived there? Do they still have keys? Do you trust they will never return or pass on those keys? Don't take any chances, change your locks today!  We can supply and fit brand new front and rear locks at a very reasonable price.  Call now for a free, no obligation quote.

When it comes to something as sensitive as securing your property you need to be 100% sure you can trust the person doing the job, so when it comes to choosing a locksmith in Shaftesbury you probably can't do better than choosing LockRite, and here's why:

• We are a nationally recognised and respected brand with a local locksmith who lives in, or near Shaftesbury and in most cases, can be with you within 30-60 minutes.
• Our local Shaftesbury locksmith is fully trained in the latest non destructive entry techniques, is CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) checked and always carries photo ID so you know when you book a LockRite locksmith you are booking a trustworthy professional.
• All work is 100% guaranteed with 12 months guarantee on all parts and 90 days guarantee on all workmanship.
• Call us now on 01747 448889 for a competitive quote and peace of mind you are dealing with a company that cares about your security.

Home security is always worth considering, and even more so if you happen to live in an area which is prone to crime.  The website www.police.uk has an online, interactive map which shows you crime and burglary levels in your area.

No matter what the problem, whether you are locked in or locked out, if you need your locks changed or re-keyed or if you just need new keys cut, we come to you.  We can be with you within 30 minutes* and all work is fully guaranteed with 12 months on parts and 90 days on all labour. Don't risk your hard earned cash on a cheap locksmith with no accountability as many of these use questionable sales tactics and cheap, sub-standard parts.  Choose LockRite and get it done 'Rite' first time! Call 01747 448889 now

The dangers of lock snapping were recently discussed on the One Show (7th March 2012) and the advice is to ensure the locks on your uPVC doors are designed to withstand this kind of forced entry. Lock snapping is a technique used by burglars where uPVC locks are literally snapped in half allowing quick access to your property.  Unfortunately this type of forced entry is becoming more and more commonplace, and many homes with uPVC doors in the Shaftesbury area are susceptible to this kind of attack unless the locks have been upgraded with anti-snap cylinders. We can provide anti-snap, anti-bump and anti-pick locks for your doors.  Call us now on 01747 448889 for a free, no obligation quote.