Security of Key Locks/Safes

Please remove this. By all means opine against the security of external key safes. But to provide a link to an instructional video on how to break into one is reckless.

It’s on YouTube, hardly going to make a difference it being posted here.

There’s a lot of value in it being posted here. I never realised how unsafe these gadgets were.

@ForestHull’s post will encourage residents to remove these boxes, and those residents will be safer as a result.

I would support Starman’s request to take that video down - I have seen that key safe on properties locally, so it’s kind of an instruction manual to break into someone’s house. By all means make the point that instructional videos are easily available, but I’m not sure people need to be told how to go about it.

I would suggest that if a separate discussion on the security of key safes is to happen, then perhaps it be moved into a new topic so as not to deflect form the OPs topic.

And there are many ways to discuss this without proactively pointing Forum users and viewers to instructional videos on how to break into a house. YouTube is full of instructional videos on how to pick locks, open windows, take doors of hinges… all in an effort to “inform” how unsafe we all are in our homes, and unfortunately “informing” criminals on how easier ways to break into our home.

I would hope a community forum wouldn’t proactively chose to direct people to these videos.

For anyone concerned about their home security this is a much better resource.

https://www.met.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention/residential-burglary/

There are many types of these boxes. Some are more secure than others and remember that people who are disabled and need care visits do need them. There are police approved ones. The Blue Lamp Trust’s Bobby Scheme was very helpful when I needed advice and assistance for my mum. I don’t know if they’re nationwide, as she didn’t live locally.

https://bluelamptrust.org.uk/bobby-scheme-landingpage/

My point is that it’s so easy to open these things without leaving any obvious evidence that it may not be correct to immediately suspect those with the code (the mobile cleaning app provider in this case). Hopefully that makes @Irmani_Smallwood feel just a tiny bit better better, but either way, hiding just how easy it is to open these types of locks helps no-one but the manufacturer.

That said, I’ve not strong feeling if other mods wish to remove the post or link.

Views along these lines are long rejected by security professionals.

As Alfred Charles Hobbs said way back in 1851: “Rogues are very keen in their profession, and know already much more than we can teach them”*.

So to hide or obscure information on the weaknesses of security devices really only helps the criminals and further dupes those that may misplace trust in such devices. And I doubt se23.life is a go-to resource for criminals, but it may alert local residents to be more aware of flawed security devices and upgrade if needed.

For a quieter life I have removed the link in any case.

*See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Security_through_obscurity

I was able to buy a lock and key picking equipment from Amazon along with a tutorial. Instructional videos or not sadly if someone wants into your property they will get in. Our neighbor had a section of rear wall removed by light fingered individuals so they could access his safe. Best we can do is be vigilant and put as many barriers in place to make the opportunist thief go elsewhere.

That’s a shame, as an SE23 homeowner, this website is my first port of call for all my lockpicking and burglary research.

I’ll have to go to Google now, which is much more difficult.

I have gathered that using a key safe is an excellent security measure so long as I lock the safe after I put the key under the door mat.

Unfortunately, I have disclosed this secret to the Wikipedia of thieves.

I must add that burglary is a horrible invasive act and I would urge people to get a video doorbell if they can afford.

I got locked out once because my cleaner let the door shut with a key in the lock on the inside. This meant I couldn’t get my key in the front of the lock. Eventually called a locksmith and it took him 10 seconds to get in my house using a bit of wood to push the inside lock handle up. Still cost me over £100.
He said every crook worth the name knows how to do this so unless I double lock my front door when I am in at night I am effectively a sitting duck.

Locks only stop honest people.

And sometimes me when I am coming home from the pub. Especially if I have accidentally gone up an extra flight of stairs and am trying the wrong door.

Gotta keep his prices high to justify not burgling people for a living.