Most of us have experienced being locked out of our car before; it always has happens on a day that you’re in a rush, never on a day that you have off, right? So, what do you do when you realize that your keys are in your car?

First off, don’t panic – this happens to everyone at some point. The best thing you can at this moment is calm down, and think. Do you have a spare key at your home? If so, you have found your solution. What if you don’t have a spare key? What if you’re stuck in busy downtown with no access to the inside of your car?

There are plenty of commercial locksmiths that are professionals and deal with this specific scenario daily. So, you could easily give a locksmith a call. If you’re in Washington, calling a Seattle locksmith should be easy enough. But, how do you prevent locking yourself out of your car in the first place?

There are some easy steps you can take to prevent yourself from running into this scenario such as carrying a spare key, signing up for On-Star, or installing a remote unlock device in your car. Making a spare key for your car can be as cheap as $10.00 at any local hardware store; it’s a good investment for something that could potentially save you a lot of time and stress. If your car supports On-Star it’s a great option for a company to secure you and be able to unlock your car from their office. Finally, installing a remote unlock device in your car can save you a world of trouble by allowing you to unlock your car from your smartphone, tablet, or a separate remote.

Either one of these three choices would be a good investment to help prevent you from locking yourself out of your car, but if you happen to be in Washington you can always give a Seattle locksmith a call.

Safes add security to your life. To improve on that security, your safe should be placed strategically.

Frequency

The first consideration in deciding where to place your safe is whether or not you will need to access it frequently. If so, then it should be close to the location of its respective use. For jewelry or cash you may want the safe to be in your master bedroom or your office. For guns in case of an emergency, the safe would probably be best placed near your bed.

If you do not need to access the safe as often, then a remote location would probably be a good option, such as a spare room, garage, etc.

Type

Another consideration to take when deciding where to place your safe is the type. If it is decorative, then in plain site may be an obvious choice. For more discrete options, floor and wall safes are available, once again taking into consideration how often you will need to access it.

Weight

The last consideration to take when deciding where to place your safe is the weight. Safes more than 1,000 pounds should be placed on the ground floor. If lighter or maneuverable, then placement on a raised floor is an available option.

For  some personal tips on where to place your safe, as well as all yur other safe & locksmith related needs, contact Accurate Safe and Lock Co. in Seattle, WA.

Source: http://www.maximumsecurity.com/blog/home-security/the-best-location-for-your-home-safe/

Having someone break into your home is terrifying, and often leaves feelings of uneasiness and anxiety in its wake. In 2011, there was a burglary every 14.4 seconds and 60% of bruglars used forced entry, taking less than 60 seconds to gain entry. There is no full-proof way to avert any type of break-in, but taking proper precautions can reduce the risk of being targeted and deter any potential burglars  Here is a brief list of things you can do to safeguard your home and the most precious of valuables, your loved ones:

Get an alarm

This may seem obvious, but there are still people who don’t have alarms. They come as a standard in new houses for a good reason- they work! Alarms not only startle and act as an obsticle for burglers, but notify the authorities. Don’t have an alarm? Consider installing one for a better peaceful nights sleep.

Be Secretive

Keep your expensive items, especially electronics, out of the front of any windows. Keep your shades and blinds shut at night when the light from your TV set is most likely to shine through your window. Also keep these items out of site from the front door, and make sure not to leave the boxes of expensive items out on the curb. An empty iMac box works as advertising and is just what the bad guys are looking for.

Put Valuables Away

Robbers are most likely to grab what’s out already, so keep your valuables put away! They want a fast entrance and exit, and most likely won’t dawdle. If you’re an organized person, this could work in your favor!

Keep Those Doors Locked

Keeping your doors locked may seem as obvious as having an alarm installed, but every little bit helps. Make sure to lock the storm door too, it’s just one more obsticle the burgalar has to bypass. Since most of them are made of glass, it does a very good job of delaying any sort of unwanted entry! If this isn’t enough, you can always purchase door armor at a home improvement store.

Lie a Little

Invest in some timers for your TVs, radios, or lights to give the illusion that you are home. While there are some burglares that will enter when you’re home, this will halt most of them.

Be On Your Toes

Even all this preparation isn’t always enough to stop some of the really good thiefs. One of the last things we suggest is talking to your neighbors and watching out for each other. Everyone can benefit from this arrangement.

We hope you found all of this information helpful and reassuring! Give the team at Accurate Safe & Lock a call at 206-284-0151 or contact us online if you have any questions!

Burglary Stats Provided by: Electronic Security Association

Security Tips Courtesy of: Joy L Anderson – Hubpages

Even with the highest level of security, your property could still be a target for burglars. An office in the 900 block of North Northlake Way in Fremont was recently the target for a few computer thieves, who were seconds away from making it out to freedom on May 4th.

The building is equipped with a security guard, but he just happened to be asleep during the early morning raid. According to the report by the Seattle Police Department, the guard drew his gun quickly after hearing the noisy burglars coming down the stairs around 5:45 a.m. from an upper floor office. The two men promptly dropped the stolen computers and turned on their heels up the stairs and out the door.

Seattle’s finest were able to gather some fingerprints off the evidence but were unfortunately unable to locate them. The two perpetrators had granted themselves access by prying open a door.

Are you worried about your home security? Chances are you don’t want a security guard in your home, but Accurate Safe & Lock is here to help with any lock and key needs! Give us a call at 206-284-0151 or contact us online today!

Source: Komo News

With the increasing integration of our electronics, smart phone apps are beginning to play a role in our day to day lives. Reviewing current crime reports for the area surrounding your home keeps you in the know about recent break-ins and other crimes. Here is a short list of some seriously cool smart phone apps that make current crime reports available to you.

App Store

CrimeReports

This app allows users to search crime by address or current location, making it extremely easy to look up your neighborhoods records. Users are able to look up sex offenders, homicides, thefts, break-ins, robberies, vehicular crimes, property crimes, assaults, and more starting from date after August 2012. If your interested in alerts, just sign up for CrimeReports.com and the feature is yours.

RAIDS

Like CrimeReports, this app allows you to search crime types and areas by a specified time period. You can also search crime by specific address or current location. RAIDS uniquely allows users to see exactly what time the crime occurred, what agency handled the situation, exact address, and incident number. Hot spot maps are also available in order to identify any high crime areas. There is even a neighborhood watch option that allows users to receive monthly or weekly reports about their neighborhood.

Google Play

CrimeView NEARme

While this app is meant for police agencies, it also has a lot of information available to the public. Published crime reports are available by area through search and current location. Points of interest are also identified for the public, but are not 100% available because some of the information is only available to law enforcement. Besides sex offenders and recent crime reports, active warrants are also available.

Total Crime Map

This app displays crime by state, zip code, county, and block group. An aggregated index is also provided to users who download the app. It additionally works by giving crime statistics for current locations as needed.

We hope that the addition of any of these apps helps you stay informed about your neighborhood and city. Thinking of installing new locks after looking at your neighborhood crime report? Call the team at Accurate Safe & Lock at 206-284-0151 or contact us online!

Sources: Google Play and App Store.