Attack of the Killer Bees!

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On a job today for the City of Bunnell Public Works office, I was attacked by bees. Luckily I wasn’t stung but it was really annoying. It started with just one buzzing around, then two, then three, then four to five at one time. It started when I sprayed my can of Houdini lubricant on some lock cylinders. Apparently it attracted the bees enough to consume my whole work area. I couldn’t complete the task I was on so I decided to just go and and put back the locks that I had already re-keyed.

On furthest door from my car (about 100 yds. away), sure enough a pesky bee followed me and was buzzing around the lock as I’m trying to screw it back on the door.

Luckily it started to rain just enough so I could finish the last door, duplicate my remaining keys, and get the $*@% out of there.

I will probably think twice about using my can of Houdini next time...

Home Office Security Check

This quick home-office security check will help you protect computer equipment, electronics, and personal data from theft, fire, and other dangers.

More and more people are working from home these days, which means home offices are bulging with pricey equipment—computers, printers, digital cameras—in need of protection. More precious even than the actual hardware is your irreplaceable personal data, whether stored digitally on your computer and hard drives or in the form of hard-copy documents.

A professional home security system can help reduce your losses, but not taking a few extra steps is asking for trouble. This home-office security check is designed to highlight the hot spots and help you protect valuable home-office equipment and information.
Make sure you’re insured

Take a look around your office. Are you properly insured for all of your equipment and possessions? Don’t assume that your umbrella homeowner’s policy is sufficient. Most policies will cover replacement of computers only up to a specific dollar amount, say $1,000 or $2,500. You’ll bear the rest of the cost, unless you add a rider to your existing policy. (Riders tend to be inexpensive; you may pay an extra $50 a year to cover all your camera equipment, for example.)

Equipment that you use solely for business may not be covered at all by your homeowner’s policy, necessitating a separate commercial policy. The cost of these policies varies widely, depending on the type of work you do and the value of the items. Equipment on loan from your employer, such as an office laptop, should be covered under your employer’s policy.
Back it up—twice

Are you are currently backing up your data to an external hard drive? If you are, good for you, but you can’t rest there. If you lost both computer and backup drive to theft or fire, you’d be out of luck. Better is a service such as CrashPlan, which charges $100 a year to constantly back up all your critical data to a remote server.

Paper documents are slightly trickier than the digital variety, because they’re usually one-of-a-kind. That’s why important data—insurance policies, Social Security cards, passports, auto titles, a list of your family’s credit card numbers, etc.—should be stored off-site in a safe deposit box ($50 to $75 a year) or in a fireproof safe bolted to your basement slab. You can scan and digitize these documents to keep them handy, but be sure to back up the digital versions, too.

Bear in mind that digital media, such as DVDs and CDs, can still melt in a fireproof safe. Media safes constructed by companies such as FireKing are built to block heat transfer, but you’ll pay for the extra protection. A 650-pound, 1.5-cubic-foot safe that can hold 140 CDs might run you $3,000; smaller ones that hold 20 CDs cost about $400.
Avoid data and identity theft

Backups are fine, but they won’t keep prying eyes off your data if your computer is stolen. Most computers have built-in security features—controlled via their system preferences panel—that you probably aren’t using. For example, you can drag your most sensitive data into a single password-protected folder. Or you can “disable automatic login” so the computer can’t boot up without a password.

If you want to go whole hog, activate your built-in encryption program or install a third-party program such as the free download True Crypt that will scramble every file on your computer. Without the password, no one can access a single file. The downside: If you lose or forget the password, adios data. If you’re not comfortable with high-tech data security measures, then the best advice is probably the simplest: Install a solid office door with a good lock.
Protect against power surges

Electronic equipment that you use every day should be plugged into surge protectors ($40 and up). These devices, which look like high-end power strips, guard against occasional fluctuations in electricity coming from your local power company, or from electrical appliances cycling on and off inside the house.

Surge protectors can’t make up for improper wiring or insufficient power coming into the house. If you’re unsure of your home’s power capacity, consider hiring an electrician to do a wiring inspection. Ask him to check how many amps your electrical panel carries (200 amps is typical of most modern homes).


Read more: http://www.houselogic.com/articles/home-office-security-check/#ixzz11DxWsXfm




tags locks, locked out, changing a lock, lock-picking, lock picking, lock out service, locked keys in car, car door unlocking, car doors, door locks, car keys,

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10 Quick Security Tips

10 Quick Security Tips

1. Keep all doors and windows closed and securely fastened. An open window or door is an open invitation for burglars. Thieves are also quick to spot weak locks that may be easily forced open. Doors should have deadbolt locks with a one inch throw and reinforced strike plate with three inch screws. All windows should have window locks.
2. Secure sliding glass doors. Place a metal rod or piece of plywood in the track and install vertical bolts. These will help prevent burglars from forcing the door open or lifting it off the track.
3. Always lock the door to an attached garage. Don't rely on your automatic garage door opener for security.
4. Create the illusion that you are home. by using timers on lights, radios and TV's. Making your residence appear occupied, even when no one is home, will deter criminals.
5. Keep the perimeter of your home well lighted. Installing low voltage outdoor lighting is a cost-effective way to discourage intruders, as well as highlight a house.
6. Never leave clues that you are away on a trip. Have a trusted neighbor collect mail and newspapers while you are away so delivered items do not accumulate. You can also ask a neighbor to park in your driveway or parking place to make it appear that you are present.
7. Keep some shades and blinds up and curtains open to maintain a normal, everyday appearance in your residence.
8. Never leave a message on your telephone answering machine telling people that you are away from home. A message that you will return at a certain time leaves your home vulnerable in the interim.
9. Keep shrubbery trimmed away from entrances and walkways. While large, ornate hedges may be beautiful, they also provide a hiding place for burglars who need only a minute to break in through a window or door.
10. Organize a community watch program to protect your neighborhood. An alert community is a safe community.





tags locks, locked out, changing a lock, lock-picking, lock picking, lock out service, locked keys in car, car door unlocking, car doors, door locks, car keys,

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, key maker, key blank, transponder key,

Home Security Plan

Home Security Action Plan

Running a home is like running a business - you need a plan. We all seem to lead extremely busy lives - raising children, your job, school activities, and on and on. Having a home plan, and in this case a home security action plan just means you’ve laid out a way to keep your home and family safe and protected to the best of your ability. Having a plan ensures everyone knows what to do in specific situations. You can review the plan from time to time with family members so everyone is still up-to-date and knows what to do.

Here are 10 things to consider as you go about setting up your Home Security Action Plan. Good luck!

pic-of-action-plan-8-19-08-11. Invest in a home security system. Let’s face it - in today’s economy more and more people are out of work (9.4% unemployment). Many of these people are becoming desperate and turning to burglarizing homes. In my 20+ years as a security consultant I have never seen as many violent home invasions that are happening across the country. The initial investment of a home security system with 24-hour protection is minimal compared to any loss you might experience from a home invasion/home burglary crime. When you select an alarm company, be sure to put the alarm yard signs and decals up right away to start the protection. The signs and stickers are a great deterrent because they are the first things the intruder sees as he approaches your property. If you have a reputable alarm company like ADT protecting your home, that’s even more of a major deterrent.

2. Establish a Safe Room in your home. This is a room where everyone can meet if there is a burglary or home invasion robbery, and it should be centrally located near the bedrooms. More than likely it will be the master bedroom area - but each homeowner will determine the precise Safe Room location taking into consideration small children and others in the home. This room should have reinforced doors and deadbolt locks. Keep a fully charged cell phone and a flashlight in the Safe Room in case the phone lines and/or power is cut. If you have an alarm system, keep a remote panic put inside your Safe Room to alert the alarm company of an extreme emergency situation and to send the police immediately. Keep your doors locked until the police arrive or help has arrived.

3. Make a habit of keeping doors and windows locked whether you are home or away. When you become complacent and let your guard down, you become more vulnerable to attack. Locking up is a simple habit that everyone should get into. When you leave the house or go to bed - do a quick walk-through and check doors and windows. Most break-ins happen through an unlocked door. If you have contact sensors on doors and windows, when either is opened and the alarm is OFF your keypad will beep at you so you know someone just came in or went out. If the alarm is ON and a door/window is opened, the alarm is activated and the police notified.

4. Reinforce wimpy hollow doors with solid core wood or steel doors. Be sure to include a one-way peephole if you don’t have sidelights next to your door. Make sure the frame around the door is also reinforced with heavy duty screws. You want to make sure your doors and deadbolt locks can withstand a forceful kick.

5. Update old locks with newer, stronger deadbolt locks. Reinforce strike plates. Use at least four three inch screws to reinforce the plate. Make sure the bolt is at least a 1-1/2 inch long. Since the front door is usually the first point of entry burglars know exactly where to kick the door for it to bust right open. Make these punks work very hard to get into your home. If it’s going to be difficult with a lot of work involved, most intruders will give up and go to an easier home.

6. Add simple common-sense Dowel Rods to your windows and slider doors. Check the number of windows on the main and basement level that either lift up or slide side-to-side to open as well as your slider doors. Then go to your local hardware store and get some dowel rods - about an inch or so in diameter for windows, a more heavy duty diameter dowel rod for slider doors. These rods fit right into the track of the slider door or windows preventing them from opening. The dowel rods are also difficult to see inside the track. You may want to paint or stain the dowel rods to match the door/window trim color.

7. Don’t open your front door unless you know who is there. Make it a habit for everyone in the family-especially children-to follow a simple rule that unless you are expecting someone or can see who is at the front door - DON’T OPEN THE DOOR. When you open the door to strangers or solicitors, you make yourself vulnerable to home invasion intruders and scam artists. Is someone claims they are from a company there to do work, verify identification by calling the place of business. Make sure you have a way to see out either through a sidelight, a window near the door, or through a peephole. Too many home invasion scams are happening right at the front door. You don’t have to open your door to anyone. If you feel unsafe after asking them to go away, call 911.

8. Get a dog. A good barking dog - small or large - is a big deterrent. The intruder may not know the dog’s size and won’t want to deal with a vicious barking dog. A dog can also alert you if someone is messing around your home or is inside your home. I always said there wasn’t any better security than your alarm system and a good barking dog. (Don’t rely solely on your dog as your security system. We’ve seen dirtbag intruders shoot and kill dogs).

9. Keep some type of personal protection near your main entry areas. This could be pepper or Mace spray, a TASER C2, or a Stun Gun. If you have one of these personal protection devices in your home make sure you are properly trained in how to use it. This type of protection may help defend against an intruder. Be sure to keep your non-lethal protection away from children but where you easily reach it in an emergency.

10. Consider taking a self-defense or personal security awareness class. Knowing what to do if faced with a potential attacker can give you a certain amount of confidence and empowerment. The security awareness class reiterates and heightens your awareness and gut instincts to things around you. When you combine this training with your personal protection, the above listed habits, and your security alarm system, you become a formidable homeowner that an intruder will definitely not want to deal with!

Start on your Home Security Action Plan today! Make sure you are positioned to be the home an intruder avoids, or at least his worst nightmare should he enter.

Make it a safe and secure day!

Lock bumping/Key bumping/Bump locking?

"Lock bumping/Key bumping/Bump locking?" This is a quick and easy way for criminals using a simple key to actually "lock bump" your deadbolt causing it to unlock with a turn of the key. A criminal can make entry into a vulnerable home within seconds.

The criminals already know about this technique - it's all over the internet. But homeowners and business owners may not be aware of this scheme. Ron Daniels, President of The Ultimate Lock gives the low-down on Lock bumping. (Listen to the interview with Ron Daniels - http://tinyurl.com/mw5v6h.


This is a crime that everyone needs to be aware of and should check all existing deadbolts to make sure they are not vulnerable to this criminal activity. If your deadbolts are 10-15 years old you should consider upgrading outdated, contractor grade deadbolts for a "high security" deadbolt. You may spend a little more but we're talking about your home and family - which are priceless!

The link also included an amazing video showing how effective The Ultimate Lock can be in keeping the intruders out by protecting the perimeter doors of your home. Remember if you make the criminal "work" to get into your home they tend to quit and look for an easier target.

Crime is increasing everyday. Be proactive and don't skimp on your home and family security protection!

Auto Theft Prevention Tips

No amount of prevention can guarantee that your car will not be stolen, but by taking a few simple precautions you can greatly reduce your chances of becoming another auto theft victim.

• Close your windows, lock your doors, conceal your valuables and take your
keys.
• Use a steering column locking device.
• Engrave your vehicle ID number on your windshield.
• Use an alarm that shuts off your electrical or fuel systems when activated.
• Park your car in well lighted, well traveled areas.
• Put all packages out of sight.
• Install a hidden ignition "kill" switch.
• Park your car in your garage at home.
• Do not store spare keys in or around your vehicle

Auto Theft Prevention Tips

No amount of prevention can guarantee that your car will not be stolen, but by taking a few simple precautions you can greatly reduce your chances of becoming another auto theft victim.

• Close your windows, lock your doors, conceal your valuables and take your
keys.
• Use a steering column locking device.
• Engrave your vehicle ID number on your windshield.
• Use an alarm that shuts off your electrical or fuel systems when activated.
• Park your car in well lighted, well traveled areas.
• Put all packages out of sight.
• Install a hidden ignition "kill" switch.
• Park your car in your garage at home.
• Do not store spare keys in or around your vehicle