Do you leave a key under the mat when you go out? Find out below how dangerous this simple act can be and start making changes today.
We are all guilty of leaving a house key somewhere near our front door for those late night entries, lost keys and visiting friends but are we really aware of how risky that is? This blog looks into the top 5 worst places that you could possibly hide your keys so that you aren’t leaving your home open to a burglary anymore.
1. Under Garden Rocks
Yes, homeowners do hide keys under rocks and even inside rocks but this doesn’t mean that it isn’t visible to a burglar or intruder. A rock needs to be settled down on the floor and if it isn’t, i.e. its hiding a key underneath it, this can be very obvious to a passer-by.
There is also the up and coming issue of fake rocks being purchased and used in lieu of a real rock. These are also still obvious to the naked eye because how real can a fake rock really look? If you are going to hide a key under a rock, choose a huge one that is difficult to move – it might slow you down gaining entry but at least it will also make it a lot harder for a burglar to find it quickly.
2. Storing It in Your Wallet So You Don’t Lose It
It is surprising how many of us lose our wallets overtime and it is also surprising how many people store their keys in those said wallets. If you are heading out and put your front door key in your wallet as a ‘safe place’, you might want to think about that before you lose your wallet and your keys in one quick moment.
Not only is hiding your keys in your wallet risky but it also gives a burglar a potential road map to your home address. With driving licences, debit cards and credit cards all linking the key to a physical address, it is so easy for them to find your property and burgle it before you can blink or even realise you’ve lost it!
3. In or Under Flower Pots and Overgrown Areas
Another, obvious to some and not to others, hiding place for house keys includes flower pots, plant plots and vegetation hiding spots. Just like the rock idea, this is also a common thief target spot to check for spare keys as so many homeowners are leaving their keys there.
They don’t only check under the pot but they also check in the pot and if they assume the key is hidden well under the soil, they won’t hesitate to smash the pot to find it. As it’s a method they have seen often, they are not afraid to do anything if it means they can get quick access into your property without difficulty.
Don’t leave it to chance and place your key in one pot of 30, they will find it at some point.
4. On Top of the Door Frame or Light Fitting
This is another not so obvious hiding place that burglars have already thought of. Hiding your spare key on top of your door frame is not only visible but also easy to grab quickly. Whether you are letting in a neighbour or just keeping it there for ‘safe keeping’, there is nothing secure about keeping a spare key on the frame of your door.
The only people that would struggle to find the key in this place are burglars who are short or those that don’t look above them when breaking in entry.
5. Under The Doormat
The fifth and final worse place to hide your spare house keys is under your doormat. Being the first and foremost most common place a burglar will look to find a key, you really want to avoid placing your spare keys under the doormat.
With doormats being easily accessible to anyone and far from secure, why would you want to place the key that accessing your home full of valuable assets under it?
Placing a key under the mat is an age-old practice that will probably still be in place in many years to come but that doesn’t mean that it is in any way a good idea. Putting a key under your doormat is asking for a burglar to enter your home, you basically just gave them the key and invited them in!
As the most common practices of a burglar include being on ground level, spending less than a minute to gain entry and taking place during the day when no one is in, you need to re-evaluate placing that spare key under your mat.
Get in Touch
To avoid break-ins, to secure your home properly and to re-secure your home after a burglary attack call Dave Halsall Locksmiths today on 01704 507 508 or 07811 267 274. Operating throughout the whole of Southport and surrounding areas, I can make sure your home is secure without any spare keys in plain sight!
