Expert Locksmith Advice

Local Rotherham Locksmith

In amongst all the football and tennis and the like, I was revisiting a classic British film on TV the other day – Local Hero. This 1983 film directed by Bill Forsyth is one of the most charming of the 1980s, with fine performances by the likes of Burt Lancaster, Peter Capaldi and Jenny Seagrove. Its theme tune by Mark Knopfler is also instantly recognisable, with Newcastle United running out to it at every home game. The film itself explores the conflict between a massive international oil corporation and a little Scottish village, and this got me thinking about the differences between global companies versus smaller local firms.

Rotherham Key Safe Fitting

A mistake I frequently see in my work is when customers have left their key in a “hiding” place outside their house for a friend, cleaner or workman to be able to let themselves in, only for a burglar to get there first, gain access to the building and ransack the property without even needing to smash a window or force a lock. 

Rogue Locksmiths In Rotherham Area

With all the news around recently, I’ve been thinking about the subject of honesty. Don’t worry, I’m not about to start talking about £800 rolls of wallpaper, flat refurbishments or who paid for what and when. I’m not even talking about the dishonesty of those who try and break into people’s houses and create the need for locksmiths. Rather, I’m looking closer to home at locksmiths themselves, or rather those who claim to be, and how they can tarnish the profession. 

If you have a sudden need for a Rotherham  locksmith, and don’t already have the details of a trusted one, what is your first port of call? I’ll put good money on it being Google. And why not… it’s the obvious place to look. You put in your search term and, at the top of the results – with the letters Ad next to them, are paid search results from companies that give Google money in order to get their company near the top. Below these are then the most popular or useful results, hopefully I’ll be there near the top if you’re searching locally, but to get to these you have to scroll past the sponsored sites. 

Rotherham Home Security After Lockdown Ends

Right, well it’s nearly Easter and hopefully the slight relaxing of lockdown means we can enjoy it a bit more than we might have otherwise done. We’re still in a long process, and who knows what the rules are now – I think we’re allowed to swim outside as long as we’re accompanied by our mum and a full meal, but not if there is someone else in the lake with a longer surname. As I say, it’s a bit confusing but, just like the extracting of the Ever Given from the Suez canal we’ll get there eventually.

It’s been a long wait for a bit of normality, and in general it’s great news for us all. But then I come along to inject a bit of caution into proceedings. And no, “Caution” isn’t the new brand of vaccine that’s coming out soon. My caution isn’t related to the health situation – I’ll leave that to the Chief Medical Officers and the like, but rather about the catching up that burglars have to do when we eventually leave our homes. 

Rotherham Patio Door Repairs

Think of a locksmith and what image comes to mind? A hunky chap, obviously, perhaps carrying around a huge metal ring of keys jangling away, and often being called in by the police to work “unofficially” at solving the cases that they just can’t crack. Well, that was the show I pitched to ITV, but were they interested? I could have been the Dangerfield (ask your parents) of the COVID generation.

Locksmith History Lesson.

We’re a month into this third lockdown, and looks like we’ll be that way until at least March. This means even more dreaded home-schooling of our kids and that got me thinking about how I could unleash my inner Joe Wicks. Don’t worry - that’s not an unpleasant euphemism, and nor am I about to start leading keep-fit Zoom classes. Instead, my contribution will be a history lesson in the form of a whistle-stop tour through the evolution of locks and locksmiths over the years. Never fear – there will be no examination at the end, just count it as a bit of extra knowledge you’ve gained today, before having a cup of tea to celebrate. 

Six New Year Security Resolutions

Well, that’s 2020 done and dusted and I think we can all agree what a fabulous year that was. What’s that? Oh yes, apart from that. And the other. And that too. Okay, it could have been better, all in all. I don’t want to jinx 2021 by saying it’ll be better, especially as the first few months look as if they could be very hairy before the vaccine has been fully rolled out, but blimey, let’s hope that by the spring and summer we’re a little bit more back to normal. 

As it’s the New Year, it seems an apt time for resolutions. I’m not hugely into them myself, but always keen to find a new spin for this little bit of writing, I thought I’d come up with some resolutions you can put into practice regarding home security this year. And if you’ve already done most of them, well hey, something to tick off your to do list for 2021 already without having to lift a finger. 

A Rotherham Locksmith Carol

Seasons Greetings to you all! It’ll be a strange old Christmas this year, with the continued restrictions and all the rest of the shenanigans that 2020 has brought us. However, we can genuinely have hope that a normality may not be too far off with the news about the vaccine, and that the lockdown has got things back under control a bit. 

Thank you to all my customers this year – I am glad I have been able to work throughout the various lockdowns, and appreciate many have not been able to do that. Whatever you’re doing this Christmas, hope it will be stress-free, and also mark the turn of the tide to better times ahead. 

In lieu of the normal advice today and seeing as we’re well into the advent season, I’m treating (yes, treating) you to my very own version of Last Christmas, with apologies to the late George Michael. Feel free to sing along… 

Do You Realise Who Has Keys To Your Home

Well, it looks like November won’t go exactly as planned, with the second lockdown now underway. Although not unexpected, it’ll mean another few weeks of weirdness for a fair number of us. As with the first lockdown, I’ll still carry on working as usual, and hey, at least it’s another chance for me to bring out the line about being a “key worker” in more ways than one. So all is not lost. As long as that chap over the Atlantic doesn’t take his Presidential loss too badly and press any big red buttons. In that case all would be lost. 

I’ll still be around to deal with any locksmith emergencies, and continue to take all the social distancing measures needed, so do not feel any anxiety if you need to call me out – I make the visit as safe as possible and am allowed in properties if needed, given my worker status. I’ll also continue to be available for routine work and advice, and in the spirit of giving advice, I thought today I’d look at some figures for home burglaries this past month, and the issue of how leaving your key with other people could potentially affect your insurance. 

Do Thieves Come Back A Second Time

When I was a kid, many years ago, my grandad used to assure me that lightning never struck the same place twice. I explained to him time and time again that this was a myth, perpetuated by double-strike deniers, and that tall buildings are often hit multiple times within a matter of minutes. He wasn’t having any of it though, and repeatedly insisted that it was scientifically impossible. He wouldn’t even change his mind on his deathbed. Well, I say deathbed – it was more a golf bunker he was lying in after he’d been hit by lightning three times whilst waving a golf club above his head. All that was left of him was a charred 4 iron and fragments of burnt plus-fours.