Lock Bumping
Posted on 14th, Aug 2014
Lock bumping has been a common means of breaking into a home has been used for years. The technique is one which thieves can get into a home quickly, without a trace, and works on 90 percent of the locks on the market. The scary part, the technique can be easily learned within minutes as there is plenty of information on the technique on the internet alone.
To use the bumping technique, burglars take a regular key that fits the lock and cut it down to the deepest setting. The burglar then removes a bit of metal from the tip and shoulder of the key. The key can then be easily inserted to the lock and with a whack of a hammer or another solid object, the key then goes into the lock the necessary length to drive the pins vertically, and the burglar can quickly turn the knob.
Lock bumping does not work on all locks. To be successful, the technique can only be used on lower cost cylinder locks- a common security lock in many households. There are steps each homeowner and business owner can take to prevent their locks being bumped, including changing your locks.
In the UK lever curtain locks are the preferred choice of insurers, because like the cylinder locks, they cannot be bumped. If you are set on cylinder locks, update your cylinder lock to a newer model as most of today’s models are bump proof. Many homeowners fail to properly protect their patio and sliding glass doors, which are prime targets for lock bumping. Other areas not to overlook include outside buildings.
If you do have cylinder locks and cannot pick them, there is a product called Pick Buster. The product is an oil that is easy to use. Homeowners simply inject the oil into the cylinder lock to coat the inside pins in the lock, which then prevents the pins from bouncing should a burglars attempt to bump a lock.
Cylinder locks, such as those made of 5 to 6 pins and preferably some sidebar mechanism, are sold as bump proof.
Each year there are hundreds of thousands of home burglaries and protecting your home with adequate locks is essential. Burglars use many methods to break into a home:
- Kick indoors
- Pry open doors
- Hammer off the lock
- Spread apart the door frame with a spreader bar
- Pry off the lock with pliers or a pipe wrench
- Break glass and reach in through to unlock the door
- Drill out the lock with a power drill
- Lucky enough to find an unlocked door
- Find your spare key
Locksmiths, insurance companies and your local building departments are all knowledgeable in the best locks for residential dwellings.
The following features in a lock offer the most security:
- Key control locks do not allow duplication of a key by anyone other than the manufacturer of the lock or specific locksmiths.
- Deadbolts that require a key to open the lock are also high security locks. The more groves the key has (which means, the more levers in the lock) the higher security it is. Choose a deadbolt with at least seven levers, which is a tougher lock to bypass or copy the key. Some deadbolts are also saw resistant.
- Anti-drill locks that are a feature in some lock sets. The locks are designed with hardened steel chips inside that hamper drilling out the lock.
- Deadbolt bolt assembly protectors are a collar type design mechanism that fits between the cylinder and the bolt assembly and protects the lock from being manipulated.
Contact Us Today
NJ Locksmith serves Sydney with exceptional locksmith services. For a quick quote just complete our “Get a Quote” form found on this page. You can also give us a call at the number listed below. Our prices are affordable; our locksmiths are first in class, and our products and techniques are always top of the line.