Signs your door locks have been tampered with

With new door locks on your home, you hardly think of any reason why you should change your locks. After all, they are working just fine and there are no signs of wear and tear. Your locks seem to be in great shape with a promise of excellent service down the road. There could still be one reason to replace your locks, that is, if they have been tampered with by a burglar or intruder.

But how do you know your door locks have been tinkered with? Burglars are professionals and are likely to be experts in gaining access to your home with smart tricks up their sleeves. Nevertheless, there are a few tell-tale signs that you can watch out for to confirm your suspicion.

One of the most common techniques used by burglars to enter your home is lock picking. How do you know your locks have been picked?  Thieves often use small screwdrivers to pick door locks. This usually leaves behind scratch marks that cut into the lock edges, a hint that can used to determine lock tampering. Another sign would be shiny metal around the keyhole, that would occur due to grazing.

Lock bumping is another method commonly used by burglars to get access to your home. If you notice any new nicks around the keyhole that were not there before, chances are your locks have been bumped. Again, as with lock picking, shiny area around the keyhole due to grazing is also a good indicator that locks have been twiddled with and that you need to take prompt action.

In case, a burglar has used brute force to break apart your locks, typical signs would be bent latches and deadbolt. A warped doorframe is also a sign of tampered home locks. Another possible hint would be if your locks are not working as smoothly as they were the last time you used them. If you find, your door locks are broken, call 911. And don’t enter your house, especially if you think the culprit would still be in the house.

So, your door locks have been tampered with. What next?

Don’t ignore these signs as this can compromise the home security, putting the lives of your family at great risk. Even if you have a slightest suspicion, the first thing you should do is to call your local residential locksmith in Racine to get your locks replaced immediately. Go for a high security locks from a reputed company. These locks are not vulnerable to picking, bumping and drilling, giving you piece of mind. You can also install digital, keyless locks to bypass using a physical a key (though you would still have an option of using a key in case of battery or any their technical emergency).

Racine’s Lock & Key is your friendly neighborhood locksmith, who offers a range of services for your home locks and keys – including lock installation, rekeying, cutting new keys, unlocking your door when you lose keys or when your keys get broken. We are experts in installing all types of locks for your residential setting. For a free estimate, call us at (262) 509-0366 today!!