Residential Break-Ins... Where Do They Occur?

• Home intruders are the worst criminals. Unlike burglars who typically wait until there is no one home, home intruders are sadistic and their intension is to confront, control and worst of all, harm you.
• Home invasions have the highest rate of serious injuries and murders.
• Home Invasions: 35% of victims are seriously injured or killed
• In many cases home intruders are career criminals
• In Canada, Police reported 2,700 home invasions in 2008 (The latest statistics available from Statistics Canada)
• Statistics Canada reported over 289,200 property related crimes per year in the last five years
• Statistically there are over 8000 reported home invasions each and every day across North America.
• A break-in occurs every 90 seconds in Canada (Source: Money Sense Magazine)
• Most break-ins occur between 10 am to 3pm

Beware Of Lock Bumping

Burglars have long used the "lock bumping" technique to gain access to locks when a key is not present. The term "bumping" occurs when a specially cut key is inserted into a keyhole and then tapped or "bumped" by a screwdriver or other object. This bumping forces the pins in the lock to jump to their shear line, and with a little torque applied to the key, the lock will open. With the advent of the internet, this technique was made generally available and sadly, companies are selling the specially cut keys online. Anyone with an internet connection now has access to the technology and tools needed to gain entry to your home.

Lock Bumping Facts

• At one Web site, $17.99 can buy a set of six bump keys made from solid brass. They are for the five most commonly used keys in the United States and Canada: Kwikset, Schlage, Yale, Dexter, Weiser, and Master Lock.
• Thieves can unlock 90% of doors with Lock Bumping.
• If your house was broken into through bumping, the lock would still work just fine and you would never know.
• When lock bumping occurs, insurance companies will deny claims because there is no proof of forced entry.
• Experts say no traditional lock is bump proof.
• Newer locks provide less protection than older ones, because they are cleaner.
• If you have the properly prepared bump key, it requires little to no skill.