Car/House Keys – Where should you keep them?

It may seem obvious to keep your house and car keys safe since they provide access to two of your most valuable assets: your home and car.

However, despite it being common knowledge, most people fail to keep them safe giving burglars the chance to steal them, and that too very easily.

Keys are one of the most commonly stolen items in the country which is why don’t be surprised if you see your house or car keys missing after a burglary.

When it comes to car keys, some burglars break into homes specifically for stealing the car keys allowing them to drive away with your car.

House key theft is more of an afterthought, which may also be seen as collateral damage, where they are stolen to either make it easy for the burglars to strike again or to sell off the keys to other burglars.

Regardless of the type of key or the purpose of stealing them, it is extremely important for you to keep both your house and car keys safe.

Read on to find out where you should keep your car and house keys, places you must steer clear of, along with alternative options for key security:

WHERE TO KEEP YOUR CAR/HOUSE KEYS?

Burglars are conniving individuals who plan out their heists way in advance and know exactly where to look for items of value.

Most of them are known to “case their targets”, which means to keep a close eye on the house they plan to break into along with the occupants, their habits, and daily routines.

There are signs that you need to be aware of that indicate your house being targeted by these criminals. They include strangers lurking around your house, unknown vehicles parked near your property, strangers taking photographs of your house and its surrounding area, and many more.

Read this detailed guide on how to tell if your house is being targeted for a burglary to stay vigilant and protect yourself and your loved ones from being victimised.

A burglar casing your property is sure to know where you keep your keys, especially if they are in common places such as under the doormat or a flowerpot.

Before we talk about the best places to keep your keys so that they are inaccessible to burglars and intruders, we first need to talk about what not to do and the places that are the absolute worst security-wise.

People usually have a fixed place where they keep their keys which is mostly near the main door of the house where they can easily grab them on their way out.

While it may be convenient for the homeowners, while also reducing the chances of them forgetting to take their keys when they leave the house, it is also very convenient for burglars to access them.

Burglars often use a popular technique known as “fishing” where they don’t even have to break into the house to steal the keys. They simple use a length of wire to hook the keys through the window or letterbox.

What makes this possible is leaving the keys near the doors, open windows, or in places where they can easily be seen by potential thieves, which is why these common spots must be avoided at all costs.

Car key burglaries have become increasingly common in the UK due to the carelessness of the owners and the ease of access that burglars have to the keys.

Make sure to keep your keys out of plain sight since putting them out on display might tempt potential burglars into stealing them. This goes for all your valuables and not just your house and car keys.

Many people also keep spare house keys to be used as backup keys during lockouts and to give easy access to friends and family members in their absence.

While spare keys provide much convenience to homeowners, they can easily turn into a security hazard if they fall into the wrong hands and compromise your and your loved ones’ safety.

Some of the best places to hide your spare keys include under the doghouse, inside the birdhouse, inside a fake sprinkler, or with a trustworthy neighbour.

Some of the worst and surprisingly most common places to hide your spare keys are under the doormat, under a flower pot or fake rock, on your keyring, inside your wallet, or anywhere within 15 feet of your front door.

LOCKBOXES AND KEY SAFES

Lockboxes and key safes are small storage devices installed on the outside of your house that are used to securely store spare keys. They require a code to open them and are most commonly installed on walls and doors.

The best locations for key safes and lockboxes are ones that can’t be easily seen from the road so that they are not visible to passers-by and potential criminals.

Though they are more obvious than some of the other hiding places for spare keys, they act as a deterrent since it takes time for intruders to crack them open and raises suspicion.

They are great for leaving spare keys for guests but are not the ideal solution for when you are away from your home for a long time such as on vacation.

There are many different types of models available for lockboxes and key safes with varying levels of security. The most common ones include push-button models, dial models, wheel models, and electronic and smart models.

Push-button are similar to keypads and are one of the most user-friendly lockboxes out there. They require the user to punch in the right code through a numeric keypad after which it is verified and the lock is opened.

Dial models are similar to a padlock with a revolving dial and require the users to input the correct combination of numbers one by one.

Wheel models usually consist of four scrolling wheels of numbers from 0 to 9, or sometimes letters, and require the users to select the right number on each wheel to enter the right combination.

Electronic and smart models automatically unlock after the correct code is entered manually or by connecting through the guests’ smartphone’s Bluetooth.

To make sure that your lockboxes and key safes remain safe, you must frequently change the codes, especially if you’ve given temporary access to a guest.

You also need to make them weather and vandal-resistant to be able to withstand extreme temperatures if placed outdoors since the extreme cold could jam them and extreme heat and rain could cause them to rust, and also strong enough to withstand brute force from someone trying to break them open.

As an added security measure, you must have your lockboxes and key safes maintained and regularly inspected for faults and potential issues so that your keys are always kept safe and away from the wrong hands.

KEYLESS ENTRY SYSTEMS

Traditional keys have been providing access control for centuries, but they come with their fair share of drawbacks. They are one of the most commonly misplaced items, are prone to theft, and can easily be copied.

Although there are ways to keep your keys safe and secure, such as the ones mentioned above, it is best to move forward and opt for more technologically advanced and secure access control methods.

Keyless entry systems eliminate the need for traditional keys and let you lock and unlock your doors using various other authentication methods that include key cards, key fobs, keypads, biometrics, and Bluetooth.

Key cards are portable cards, similar to a credit card, with specific access permissions that are inserted into the system, swiped, or scanned using RFID technology to grant or deny access through electronically locked doors.

Keypads and touchscreens work similar to ATMs and require a specific code or password to gain access. The correct credentials grant you access while the incorrect ones deny it.

Keyless entry systems also use biometrics such as fingerprints, retina scans, or face detection to check the user’s access permissions and grant or deny access based on them. They are one of the most secure authentication methods since there is no risk of them being lost, stolen, or copied.

Some locks work using Bluetooth technology where you just have to be within a certain range and they will detect your smartphone’s Bluetooth ID and unlock the door automatically when you approach it.

As compared to traditional keys, keyless systems provide a plethora of benefits in terms of both security and convenience.

With traditional keys, if they are stolen or misplaced, the only option you are left with is to either have the locks rekeyed or replaced since the inability to do so might put your entire property at risk.

With keyless entry systems, if you feel as if your credentials have been compromised, all you have to do is change or delete them from the database and you are good to go.

This is a simple and cost-free way to ensure that the integrity of the systems remains intact, which can be quite a challenge when dealing with traditional keys.

With keys, you know that whoever has access to them has access to your property. With access control systems, this level of control is taken a step further by allowing you not just control over who enters your property but also monitoring when the system was used and by which user.

This great feature gives more control to homeowners over when exactly the house doors were opened or closed, and by whom. The systems can also send notifications to your phone whenever access is granted or denied to someone.

In addition to the high level of control, keyless entry systems also offer an unparalleled level of security which can be fortified even further by enabling multi-factor authentication where two or more different types of authentication methods are used to gain access, such as access codes used with biometrics or your smartphone’s Bluetooth.

KEYLESS CAR THEFT

If you have a car with a keyless entry system that allows you to unlock and start your car with a key fob that sends signals to the vehicle, you may be susceptible to much more than physical theft of the keys.

While they provide great convenience to the users, they are vulnerable to keyless car theft, also called ‘relay theft’, where burglars use special devices to mimic the key fob’s signal and send it to the vehicle to fool the car into thinking that the key is nearby, which unlocks the doors and allows the ignition to start.

Relay theft is becoming a serious issue with the increase in keyless cars and while this may sound scary, there are a few precautionary measures you can take to protect your vehicle from relay theft.

When not in use, you must keep the key fob away from your car and avoid leaving it near the doors and windows of your house to make sure they are not within communication range of burglars snooping around your property.

You may also invest in signal-blocking pouches, also called a Faraday bag, that blocks the key fob from transmitting signals to the vehicle and prevents burglars from amplifying them and using them for relay theft.

For added security, you may also turn off the keyless fob’s wireless signal, if it can be switched off, and re-programme the keys if you are using a second-hand vehicle.

CONTACT CALDER SECURITY

Calder Security provides you with a comprehensive range of locksmith and security services for all kinds of residential and commercial properties.

Our services include:

Access control systems

We offer all types of access control systems including intercom, proximity fob, card swipe, and keypad, along with biometric systems that work with fingerprints and retina scans.

We conduct the installation of all the systems ourselves and can recommend you the best type of system for your needs.

Access control systems are very reliable and will last a long time, but like any technology, they require periodic maintenance to continue working as they should.

We conduct annual servicing to keep your system working well and give it a full check including checking the battery strength, power supply, and connections. That way you won’t get any nasty surprises further down the line.

We also operate a 24-hour emergency service run by qualified, security specialist engineers who understand access systems and can resolve issues efficiently and effectively.

Locksmith and key cutting services

We are members of the Master Locksmith Association (MLA) since 1976 and can work on a wide range of locking mechanisms.

We specialise in wooden, UPVC, and aluminium doors, and are the official suppliers for leading lock brands including Chubb, Yale, Securikey, and Garrison.

In addition to installation services, our professional locksmiths also offer repair services for when the locks become damaged or develop faults.

We can also access locks that have become jammed, including safes, and can respond to your calls quickly which can be very useful if you’ve locked yourself out.

We also offer expert key cutting services from our Lock and Safe Shop in Wakefield where you can get your keys cut while you wait.

Using our state-of-the-art digital equipment, we can cut virtually any key including cylinder keys, mortice keys, dimple keys, Mul-T-Lock keys, padlock keys, locker keys, and safe keys to a high degree of accuracy without having to send them away to be cut.

Security safes

We are familiar with a wide range of safes, cash boxes, and strong boxes and our SSAIB approved contractors can help you assess your security needs and recommend a suitable key safe or lockbox perfect for your requirements.

In addition to professional installation, we also offer key safe opening services since forgetting the code or failure of the safe itself can all lead to the contents of the safe being inaccessible.

We can repair a wide range of safes, even those not installed by us, thanks to our experience in locksmithing and safe engineering. All our repairs are conducted by professional locksmiths and safe engineers.

Burglar alarms and CCTV cameras

Your home security isn’t complete without an alarm system and CCTV cameras placed on all the key locations of the property.

A robust burglar alarm system and CCTV cameras offer peace of mind that an intruder would not be able to access your property undetected, serving as extremely effective deterrents against intrusions and burglaries, and of course, keeping your keys safe.

Our services include professional installation of the systems, regular maintenance checks and contracts, quick servicing, keyholding services, and 100% reliable monitoring services using Dualcom and BT Redcare GSM.

We are SSAIB approved installers and all of our installations are carried out by qualified, experienced engineers that comply with standards: PD6662: 2010, DD243, and BS8243 required to qualify for police assistance.

Our CCTV systems are state-of-the-art and comply with the laws and legal requirements of installing CCTV cameras on your residential property.

Contact us here or call us on 0800 612 9799 to talk to our security experts right away!

Photo by Oli Woodman on Unsplash