If you come home and notice dents on your lock or scratches around it, it’s a good indication that someone attempted to get into your home. These are the most obvious signs, but there are other ways you can tell.

House Burglary Facts; How Do Burglars Break Into Home?

1. Brute force attack. If a burglar chooses to take this path it will cause the most damage. They will drill a hole through your deadbolt or break the lock and kick the door in. This will leave the frame damaged, cause splintered wood and mangled metal being left behind. The less obvious signs to look for are warped doors and/or door frames, latches and deadbolts that are bent. You may also notice circles left behind on the painted door. It’s a sign that the lock itself was moved after it was loosened and the tightened again.
2. Lock bumping. Locksmiths have used bumping for a long time now to open locks and after the method was revealed, burglars began to use the method themselves. This is done by filing a key into different points to have the appearance of a tiny saw that becomes the “bump key”. It will be inserted into the lock and then pulled out one click. It is then hit abruptly with a blunt object and pulled out again one click and struck again. This will be repeated until all the tumblers have caught and the key can then be used to open the door. Experienced burglars will leave behind no signs that this was done but if you notice little nicks around the keyhole or shiny metal edges that look fresh, your lock may have been tampered with.
3. Lock picking. Locksmiths have tools they use to unlock locks. Tiny flat screwdrivers or any tiny tool is used to rake the pin tumblers or manipulate them. As with bumping, the lock can be opened once the tumblers catch. If you see fresh, shiny tiny scratch marks around your keyhole, your lock might have been picked. These marks will be much smaller than marks that are left behind by a key.

Door Lock Upgrades & Replacements to Digital & Mechanical Deadbolts Keyless Entry

If you suspect your locks have been tampered with, you need to have them replaced. Consider upgrading them to hybrid digital/mechanical bolts. These newer locks don’t depend on pins and tumblers like the older locks, making them more difficult to manipulate. If you choose to keep your lock, you can spray WD-40 in the keyhole which will make it harder for the pins to stick. If your door has been kicked in, you will have to consider other ways to make it stronger with a home security system. This will add an extra layer of protection for you and your home after all the necessary repairs and lock changes have been made. You can even consider installing a lock that allows you to ditch the keys all together. Many of these locks can be locked or unlocked with your smart phone and you can change the codes whenever you want.

Professional Locksmith Services in Killeen, Austin, San Antonio, Round Rock, San Marcos, Frisco, New Braunfels & Houston Texas

It’s a good idea to have professionals install locks for you. We can spot other potential problems like sagging hinges and other defects that can make your home vulnerable to future break-ins. Call Texan Lock & Key today!