WHAT IS LOCK BUMPING?
How would you feel if you knew that burglars could order an inexpensive item online that allows them near-instant access to your home and leaves no record of them opening your door? This phenomenon, called “lock bumping,” is real and it’s growing in popularity among criminals in the United States. Traditional locks may no longer be enough to prevent a break-in to your home, especially as the use of this easy method of gaining entrance to your home continues to expand. Keep reading to see how you can protect yourself, your family and your business from this.
Locksmiths often need a way to enter your home without damaging the lock and the technique that is often used is called lock bumping. Unlike the specialized equipment and knowledge required by lock picking, bumping a lock is relatively easy and can be done with a bump key that can be ordered online, purchased at a local home improvement warehouse or anywhere else that makes keys. A home is burglarized every 13 seconds in America and nearly half of those unlawful entries happen through a standard door during daylight hours.
HOW LOCKS ARE BUMPED
Traditional locks have a safety mechanism that allows them to be bumped by inserting a specific type of key, called a bump key, into the lock and then striking it with a mallet or other instrument. This causes the pins within the lock to move above the shear line long enough to allow the lock to be opened. The recent trend of increased lock bumping is likely due to the simplicity of the act because all it requires is the bump key, a quick tap with a blunt object and the ability to gently turn the cylinder with the right level of force to open the door.
BUMPING PREVENTION
There are a few ways that a locksmith can help secure your home. Perhaps the simplest is to modify your existing locks to boost the number of pins. While this doesn’t make your lock bump-proof, it will make the process more difficult and improve your home’s security. Perhaps the most effective option is to install a high-security lock, which includes a secondary “sidebar” making it more difficult to bump the lock open.
If you want to be sure that you’re doing everything possible to maintain the security of your home, contact The Flying Locksmiths today. We can share the latest in technology innovations for securing your home such as access card readers, upgraded hinges and more. Our systems include intercoms, door alarms, and access control systems, and our friendly and knowledgeable professionals are highly rated by our customers. Contact us today at 1-800-649-5397 for the latest in home security!
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