• Access to the home of an elderly person by Carers or Nurses
• Spare key for use by children or family when your key has been mislaid
• For storing a front door key for use in holiday homes by guests
• Access to a home in a residential sheltered housing scheme
• For storing an emergency use key in a business premises
• Car key or transponder storage inside your house to minimise the risk of car theft

The Keyguard Digital Outdoor Key Safe has the following features:

• Easy to use push button design
• Secure and strong steel construction
• Easy to fit onto an external wall using expansion bolts (included)
• Holds up to 5x Yale design or 4x Standard mortise keys (Max 8cm length)
• Mechanical digital combination lock (no batteries required)
• Reprogrammable, using any number of buttons between 0-9 plus buttons A & B
• No button can be programmed more than once and simple to re-program
• Rubber cover which both disguises the safe and protects it from the weather
• External Dimensions 115Hx65Wx55D mm
•  Internal Dimensions 80Hx40Wx20 D mm
• Weight 0.7kg

Pros

• Low price and excellent value compared to the Supra Keysafe brand
• Simple design and easy to operate even for the elderly or infirm
• Weather resistant with extra protection from rubber cover supplied
• Secures both mortise or Yale style keys up to 8cm long
• Easy to install using expansion bolts supplied
• Quick delivery in 1-2 working days (Next working day if ordered by noon)

Cons

• As with all outdoor key safes there is no universal security standard
• It will withstand most abuse but not a violent attack

The Keyguard DIGITAL Key Safe is primarily designed for use as a storage unit for spare keys. As with all key safes. If violently attacked, it could be removed or broken, but these risks have to be assessed against the benefits it offers to the elderly in particular. It is a reliable and inexpensive safe that is ideal for the purpose intended.

Recently there have been several incidents in which offenders break into houses and look for the owner’s car keys. The vehicle is then stolen later. The rise in the number of burglaries that target car keys is fuelled by the fact that most new cars are fitted with a security system that makes it impossible to start them without the key.

In order to reduce the chances of falling victim, police officers advise motorists to take a few basic safety precautions. Car keys, as well as other valuables, should be kept away from doors and windows and out of sight. Police warn that thieves can be very resourceful and can obtain car keys in a variety of way, including “fishing” for them through a letterbox.

Vehicles themselves should also be well protected, police recommend, as thieves often steal the number plates only. The plates are then installed onto other vehicles that are used to steal fuel from petrol stations. In a bid to prevent these types of crime, motorists are reminded to take part in the police’s ‘Your Number’s Up’ events, where car plates can be fitted with tamper-proof screws free of charge.

Vehicles can also be registered with the UK National Property Register, where information on serial numbers and images can be stored, together with data on other types of property, including bicycles, jewellery, computers, mobile phones and appliances.

• Phoenix Fortress SS1181K £4000 Cash Safe Key Lock
• £4000 Tested Insurance security rating (£40,000 for valuables)
• Tested to EN 14450 S2 security standard by ECB.S
• Fitted with a high security VdS class 1 double bitted key lock
• Double walled construction filled with fire retardant material
• Supplied with 2 keys as standard
• Expansion Bolts included for floor fixing
• External Dimensions – 220H x 350W x 300D mm
• Internal Dimensions – 140H x 270W x 200D mm
• Weight 20kg , Volume 8 litres

Pros

• High quality Vds Class 1 key lock with double bitted keys
• Offers  protection from both fire and physical attack
• Tested EN 14450 S2 £4000 Insurance Cash rating
• Fire resistance for paper documents for up to 30 minutes
• Compact design is suitable for fitting in bedroom wardrobes
• 2 years on-site warranty
• Easy to install onto concrete using expansion bolts supplied
• Quick delivery in 1-2 working days

Cons

• Fire protection insufficient for digital media, tapes and negatives
• Cannot be bolted through the rear face for wall fixing

The Phoenix Fortress SS1181K is an excellent safe for using in both the Home and business,  where the safe is required to withstand a sustained physical attack. It offers exceptional value and is ideal for protecting personal documents such as passports and certificates as well as jewellery and valuables such as cameras up to the insurance value of £40,000. You may also wish to consider the both the electronic digital locking version or the 2 larger models in the same range. The Phoenix Fortress offers good value and is a really secure safe offering security protection at home or in the office.

Police officers will be available at DIY stores on 20 May and 26 and 27 May as part of the spring crime prevention campaign launched by Hertfordshire Constabulary. Officers will provide advice to local residents on how to prevent shed break-ins and thefts of garden tools.

Garden sheds are an attractive target for thieves, as they are typically easy to break in and expensive garden and sports equipment is often stored there. Detective Inspector Paul Doran of the Crime Reduction Unit warns that the number of outdoor crimes significantly increases during the spring and summer months, with thieves typically breaking into sheds, garages and outbuildings.

Very often offenders are attracted by the possibility of getting their hands on machinery like lawn mowers and chain saws, as well as bicycles and golf clubs. That is why police advise local residents to secure their outside property. People should take advantage of the campaign and visit the crime prevention events, Detective Inspector Doran says.

Officers will be able to answer more detailed questions on crime prevention but people should be aware of a few basic measures they should take in order to protect their possessions. All garden sheds and garages should be secured with locks or, if appropriate, with padlocks. Burglar alarms are also a good way to prevent break-ins, police say.

A safe can be cracked through a variety of methods. There is the lock manipulation method, which allows the user to determine what combination is needed to open the lock by the feel or sound of it, and does not damage the safe. However, even for masters of the skill, this method is time-consuming. Weak-point drilling is a very popular method where a weak point on the lock is drilled, and then the combination can be seen on the inside of the lock. The damage done through this method is easily mendable. There is always the option of using brute force to open the safe. This method, however, does damage the lock, often beyond repair, and may damage the contents.

The big question when it comes to cracking a safe is whether to do it yourself, or have a professional locksmith or safe opening company provide help. While it certainly is possible to crack a safe by yourself, it’s often better to have a professional do it. Cracking a safe takes a lot of time, and without experience, there is always the risk of accidentally doing permanent damage to the safe. On top of that, some companies have access to auto-dialling machines, which can open safes by guessing thousands of different combinations in a brief period of time. It’s perfectly legal, and the money put into hiring a locksmith is worth the time and stress saved.

If you decide to hire a locksmith or company, do take the time to make sure who you are hiring is trustworthy and performs quality work. Stay local to keep costs down. Get referrals from friends and family, and look for reviews on the Internet to know who can provide good work in your locality. Find out if the locksmith or company, you consider using, is insured, in case something should go wrong during the process. Also, determine if there are additional costs that may arise during the cracking process, and make sure there are no hidden costs. Finally, be aware that a true locksmith or company will verify you are the owner of the safe, as well as ask for identification for legal reasons. Their vehicle should have the company name on it. If the above does not happen, the individual is suspicious, and should not be hired. To be sure of locating a properly trained locksmith then always choose one that is certified and is a member of the Master Locksmiths Association of Great Britain. All you need to do is go to www.locksmiths.co.uk – the Master Locksmiths (MLA) website – and by entering your post code you can find a selection of reliable and expertly trained safe engineers or locksmiths local to you.

It’s very difficult to determine the price of a locksmith or company as it depends on many factors. Different factors may affect the price, such as if the company is insured. Also different types of safes will incur different charges. The more difficult a lock is to crack, the more it will cost. Always ask for an estimate beforehand, and when the job is finished, ask for an itemised invoice, and double check to make sure there are no mysterious fees on it.

There has been a drop in most of the different types of crime, except for sexual offences and drug offences, which increased year-on-year by 7.5% and 10.6% respectively. However, burglary saw a dramatic fall of nearly 25%, with just 2,794 incidents registered, while the number of robberies decreased by 9.5%. Last year 1,110 vehicles were stolen in Bristol, 10% down from last year, and thefts from motor vehicles fell 13% to 3,132.

Moreover, criminal damage and public disorder rates also dropped by 9.5% and 14%, despite the riotous 2011, when incidents occurred in the Stokes Croft area in April and across Bristol in August 2011. Serious crimes have seen a reduction, with just four murders registered, compared to seven last year.

Bristol’s District Commander Assistant Chief Constable John Long told the Post that while ten years ago the city had the highest rates of acquisitive theft among the eight key cities, it now has the second lowest rate.

The Chubbsafes AIR 10 is available with either a security key lock that is supplied with 2 keys as standard or with a Digital electronic security lock.

• Compact safe for both home or office use
• Choice of either a Key locking or Digital Electronic Locking system
• Can be fixed through both base and rear wall
• Fixing bolts supplied for easy installation
• Advisory Insurance Cash rating of £1000 – subject to Insurer’s agreement
  • Dimensions – Ext: 20Hx31Wx20D cm Int: 19Hx30Wx15D cm
  • Weight:8kg  – Volume 9 Litres

Pros

• Chubbsafes entry level home safe offering  excellent value
• World renowned Chubbsafes protection from opportunistic theft
• Choice of Chubbsafes Key or Electronic Locking for security
• Compact size for fitting in wardrobes or other tight areas
• Easy to install using expansion bolts supplied
• Quick delivery in 1-2 working days

Cons

• No protection from fire or water damage
• Higher security from forced entry can be obtained by choosing a security tested safe e.g Chubbsafes WATER or EARTH
• No official tested cash rating for insurance purposes
• Not suitable if protection is required from violent attack
• Only a 1 year Chubbsafes warranty

The  Chubbsafes AIR is part of the new Chubbsafes Elements range, which is primarily designed for both the Home and Smaller Office use, where the  safe is required to supplement other security defences such as burglar alarms. The Chubbsafes AIR is a inexpensive safe that is ideal for storing personal documents such as passports and certificates as well as less expensive jewellery and valuables such as cameras. A quality safe made by Chubbsafes offering extra protection at home or in work.

Cheshire Constabulary has prepared a video, aiming to raise awareness of the damage done to buildings from graffiti, vandalism and lead theft. The video has been created in collaboration with Cheshire West and Chester Council and its main purpose is to show local residents that these crimes, known as heritage crimes, are not victimless and should not be taken lightly, as they may cause damage to tourism, the local economy and the image of the city.

In addition, the council has also launched a blog with information on the more than 6,000 heritage sites in Cheshire and the progress of the recently started campaign Heritage Watch. The initiative has been developed in partnership with other councils, English Heritage and Cheshire Fire and Rescue and aims to bring down heritage crime rates and make residents active participants in crime detection and prevention.

Dr Simon Thurley, chief executive of English Heritage, says that the initiative is an excellent idea and it is great to see that it is actually working. It combines the most important points – being aware of the special needs those sites have and being vigilant, he explains, and adds that he hopes the idea will be adopted in other parts of the country.

Chubbsafes EARTH 40 Security Safe Key Lock

The Chubbsafes EARTH range is available with either a high security key lock that is supplied with 2 keys as standard or with a Digital electronic high security lock – both tested to EN 14450 S2 Rating.

• Premium Compact safe for both home or office use
• Choice of either a Key locking or Digital Electronic Locking system
• Tested for security and insurance by ECB-s to EN14450 S2
• AIS Approved Safe (Association of Insurance Surveyors)
• Can be fixed through both base and rear wall
• Fixing bolts supplied for easy installation
• Tested Insurance Cash rating of £4000 – subject to Insurer’s agreement
• Fire retardant filling between a double skin body
• 30 minutes fire resistance to DIN 4102 standard
  • Dimensions – Ext: 44Hx45Wx40D cm Int: 35Hx36Wx30D cm
  • Interior LED light on all the electronic lock models
  • Single removable shelf as standard
  • Weight:60kg  – Volume 38 Litres

Pros

• Chubbsafes serious home safe offering  excellent value
• World renowned Chubbsafes protection from burglary and heat
• Choice of Chubbsafes Key or Electronic Locking for security
• Independently tested as approved by AIS
• Store up to £4000 in cash or £40,000 of valuables if bolted down
• Compact size for fitting in wardrobes or other tight areas
• Easy to install using expansion bolts supplied
• Quick delivery in 1-2 working days

Cons

• Only 30 minutes Fire protection for paper documents
• Less secure than  3 way bolting models such as the Burton Torino NMK4
• Lightweight in comparison with the Chubbsafes Cobra LPCB 1228
• Chubbsafes offer just a 1 year warranty

The Chubbsafes EARTH is a premium model within the Chubbsafes Elements range, which is primarily designed for both the Home and Smaller Office use. The Chubbsafes EARTH is designed to resist a physical attack and its test certificate certifies this. A quality safe made by Chubbsafes offering extra protection at home or in work.

The scheme is organised and will be carried out in partnership with community safety organisations and the UK’s largest online bicycle identification and registration database, BikeRegister.

According to PC Hazel Goss MBE from the North Wales Police Community Safety Team, the increase in bike thefts over the past few months can be attributed to two main factors. Firstly, ever more people prefer to invest in high-quality, expensive models, which make a more attractive target for thieves, and secondly, there has been a variety of ways to sell stolen items online lately.

Police officers advise owners to register their bikes on BikeRegister, where detailed information about the bike can be stored. Having a detailed description of the bicycle can improve the chances of tracking it down in case of theft.

BikeRegister’s sales director James Brown comments that working together with North Wales Police is a good opportunity for the organisation that will hopefully result in fewer bikes being stolen. He also notes that similar schemes have proved to be quite successful in other areas in the UK, where bike theft rates have fallen dramatically.