If you want to keep your finger on the pulse of what’s going on in the world of locks, keys, locksmithing and cars, then this news page provides a handy resource of stories from around the globe.
Now we’re being told to keep our keys in the fridge!
September 19th 2022 – Countless articles are telling us how keeping our keys in the microwave can help stop our vehicle from being stolen – but what about the fridge… or even the freezer? Can that help too? If you want to discover the reasoning behind it, you can find out more in this article.
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Is it really a good idea to put your keys in the microwave?
August 10th 2022 – By now, we’ve all heard that if we put our keys in the microwave, it can help to prevent our car from being stolen. Basically, the microwave acts as a miniature Faraday Cage and prevents radio signals from going to (and emanating from) our car key fob. This means that a car thief isn’t able to get up to any shenanigans and bypass our car key to gain entry to our vehicle. But, is it really a good idea to keep your car keys in the microwave when you’re not using them? This article tells the tale of how it can go disastrously wrong and destroy the key fob.
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Are you thinking of buying a new Fiesta?
July 15th 2022 – If the answer is yes, you can read a 2022 review here. If you want a model that’s all singing and all dancing then you’ll have to go for the pricier Titanium version which comes with rear parking sensors, sat-nav and keyless entry… although it remains to be seen if this technology will stand the test of time.
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Considering quitting driving (handing over the car keys)
July 12th 2022 – This is the tale of an older person who is considering giving up their car keys (i.e. cease driving) and it’s not simply because of their age. They mention a scenario where they’re invited over to see friends and the author sums it up as “I don’t want to work that hard to go to dinner”.
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Do you drive a Honda car (2012-2022)? If so, you need to read this
July 11th 2022 – Alarmingly, a serious security bug/exploit (Rolling PWN) has been detected in Honda cars that were manufactured between 2012 and 2022. The bug allows a would-be hacker to gain access and start the vehicle remotely. This article shows a Honda owner trying it out for themselves.
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A whole lot of keys!
Today, we’re going Down Under to the Australian Queensland Police website. The reason this gets a mention is mainly due to the quirky headline of “Keys, keys and more keys!” As you’ve probably guessed, the article is about the hundreds of lost keys that have been handed into the police. Of course, there’s a picture of them all too.:)
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Will using your mobile phone to unlock your car prevent crime?
June 24th 2022 – There’s no shortage of keyless car entry articles on the internet at the moment and here’s another from the Telegraph. You’ll need to be a subscriber to read the full article which details how digital car key mobile phone technology may put an end to (or at least reduce) keyless entry car theft. If you feel comfortable using your facial recognition and a password, then this article will be of interest to you.
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Car key protection with a Faraday Cage
May 31st 2022 – If you know what a Faraday cage is, you might want to consider getting one of these to protect your vehicle from thieves. The wallet basically puts a protective shield around your remote keys to protect your car.
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All new cars will have an internet connection by 2026
Technology can be great but it can also lead to unexpected and unwanted consequences. This Express article suggests that we’ll be exposed to more hacking when our cars are connected to the internet. It does provide a few tips to protect yourself such as using a protective signal-blocking key case. It also suggests parking in well-lit places as well as fitting alarms and steering locks.
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A string of car key burglaries
We’re in Somerset with this story. It details how a man was convicted after breaking into homes at night and stealing car keys – usually for high-end vehicles.
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Looking to buy a steering lock?
May 26th 2022 – If vehicle security is a concern for you, there’s no harm in buying yourself a decent steering lock. This Forbes article gives a rundown on the best ones available.
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Mysterious car unlocking invention
May 25th 2022 – We thought we’d include this article in our auto locksmith news feed as it’s a bit of a mystery trying to figure out what the invention actually is, let alone how it even works. Anyway, if you’d like to don your sleuthing hat and see if you can get to the bottom of this car unlocking assistance device invention mystery, here’s the link to it.
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Tesla keyless ‘hacking’ demonstration
May 17th 2022 – It isn’t just Teslas that are prone to this type of keyless entry spoofing and there’s no evidence this method has been used. Nevertheless, a demonstration of how a thief might fool a Tesla’s computer system was done recently in Manchester.
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Golfing star gets stranded
May 17th 2022 – Brooks Koepka (2022 PGA champion) accidentally locks his keys in his car. He was about to attend a news conference when the incident happened and had already packed all his stuff in the boot. It just goes to show you that this can happen even with a newer car.
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The rapping Locksmith
May 15th 2022 – Did you know that “Locksmith” is the name of a rapper? I don’t know whether he has any locksmithing skills, but here’s a video of him anyway.
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Is this Denmark’s most experienced locksmith?
Jesper Jørgensen from Denmark has notched up 10,000 installs of a particular type of access control system. He’s been doing the job since 2007 so that’s pretty impressive.
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Spate of break-ins to steal car keys
April 21st 2022 – Police suggest that residents in Flintshire and Wrexham be on the lookout and take preventative steps to stop thieves breaking into their homes and stealing their vehicles by nabbing their car keys.
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Would you use an eye scanner instead of a car key?
April 21st 2022 – This article claims to take a look at a patent by Hyundai that uses technology to scan a person’s eye to ascertain their identity. Once confirmed, they can unlock their car. Would you welcome this type of technology in the future or does it go too far?
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Will your car be safer if you have a physical, metal key for it?
April 8th 2022 – Keyless car entry is all the rage at the moment and the article about Apple just below suggests that things are all fine with the latest technological advances in car entry and security. However, this article posted around the same time says that it’s far better to have an older type of metal key that you keep with you in your pocket. It’s a tale of two competing opinions and I suppose that only time will tell as to which one turns out to be correct.
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Is Apple’s keyless entry option safe?
April 8th 2022 – We’ve posted on this subject before and it’s interesting to see how things are developing. This article espouses the use of Apple’s new keyless technology while the one posted right above suggests that have a physical key in your hand is a safer option. The jury is still out on this one.
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Car theft epidemic hits Manchester
March 30th 2022 – With keyless car crime on the rise, Manchester is the latest city in the UK to be targeted. There have been at least 600 new thefts in the last month alone and it’s often higher-end cars such as Range Rovers that are being stolen. The fact that certain areas are seeing a sharp increase suggests that gangs are at work and are using electronic devices to bypass the vehicle’s normal security.
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The science behind central locking
March 16th 2022 – If you’ve ever wondered how, with the click of a button, your car door can be unlocked and locked, here’s how it works.
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More tales of unscrupulous auto locksmiths
March 11th 2022 – Although most auto locksmiths offer a good service at an honest price, there will inevitably be some that exploit desperate people when they’re most in need. This is one such story where a locksmith charged the client 400 dollars to simply unlock their vehicle.
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Bank robber scuppers his own getaway by leaving car keys in bank
March 6th 2022 – You have to chuckle at this one. It’s the tale of an armed robber who didn’t plan his getaway too well. He forget to grab his car keys on the way out and by the time he realised, he couldn’t go back and get them because the bank had locked their doors.
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Lost your car keys? Here are three top tips
February 28th 2022 – One of the most common reasons people call us is because they’ve lost or damaged their car keys and need assistance. This can range from dropping them in water, not having them properly programmed, losing them while out and about, to simply misplacing them at home. If this has happened to you, read these three top tips to get you started.
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Don’t forget about traditional car security
February 26th 2022 – With the advances made in automotive security, it’s easy to forget the older, more traditional methods of yesteryear. For example, a steering lock can still prove to be an invaluable deterrent when it comes to car theft. If your house is broken into by a thief, they’re far more likely to leave your car keys alone if they see it has a steering or wheel lock on it.
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Are you constantly losing your car keys?
February 25th 2022 – If you’re one of those types who are always misplacing or losing your car keys, then maybe you should get yourself a little device called a ‘Key Finder’. It’s perfect for those of us who are constantly saying to ourselves “now, where did I leave my keys this time?”
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Troubling story of unscrupulous locksmiths
February 23rd 2022 – This is a story from the US about a woman who was mercilessly overcharged by locksmiths after she was locked out of her apartment.
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More tips on how to prevent your car from being stolen
February 15th 2022 – We’ve posted a few of these articles now and this one is an easy read (around 1 minute or so) and contains more tips such as removing the keys from the vehicle and locking it. It may sound obvious, but many people still don’t do it.
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Why you shouldn’t keep your car keys and house keys in the same place
February 10th 2022 – In this personal account by one of its readers, the Cowichan Valley Citizen online publication tells the story of one woman’s experience of why it’s never a good idea to have both house and car keys on thye same keyring.
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An insight into the future of the automotive digital car key
February 11th 2022 – As technology marches on relentlessly, this article looks at the future of the digital car key. It explores how it’s developing in other parts of the world – In particular, the Bluetooth aspects of accessing your vehicle now and in the future. It lists a few benefits but doesn’t go into too much detail about the potential downsides that might arise as it develops.
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Make sure you keep your car keys safe
February 10th 2022 – This Daily Mail article looks at the top ten most stolen cars in Britain. Automotive theft is on the rise so if you own a Fiesta, Focus or Range Rover (the top 3 on the list), make sure your car keys aren’t easy to steal.
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Roadshow touring UK that covers key and remote programming
February 7th 2022 – Keeping up with current trends and developments in the auto locksmith industry is imperative. Technology moves pretty fast in our industry and so it’s always a good idea to keep your finger on the pulse. For those who want to keep themselves up to date, here’s some useful info regarding a roadshow that, amongst other things, looks at car key/remote programming as well as remote diagnostics. if you’d like to attend and are in the south of the UK, they’re visiting Maidstone and Southampton.
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Have you heard about Volvo’s new app?
February 5th 2022 – If not, the new app lets you scan a car to get its specs. So, if you’re looking to buy a new car, it almost turns an average street into a car showroom.
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Are smart key owners smart people?
February 3rd 2022 – Read Lori Borgman’s amusing account of a recent trip that she and her husband took in a rental car that came with a “smart key”.
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Police describe this all too common problem as “Groundhog Day”
February 2nd 2022 – Another day, another similar story of keys being left in cars, then the cars being stolen. It’s not the first and we’re sure it won’t be the last of this careless mistake that too many drivers make.
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Tips on how to regain entry to your car if they’re locked inside
January 30th 2022 – We’re often called out to emergencies where car owners have locked their keys in their car. This post provides a few tips on how to do it yourself (assuming you have the time, patience and tenacity to do so).
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Looking to buy a new electric car?
January 28th 2022 – If you don’t want a Tesla, there are other options on the market. Here are the new prices for VWs new ID5. Spoiler alert… If you want the GTX it’ll cost from £58,640 although others in the range are cheaper.
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Thief steals car and gets an air fryer as a bonus
January 26th 2022 – The moral of the story is… If you leave your car unlocked WITH the keys still in it, make sure you don’t leave any other valuables in it.
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If you owned a Ferrari, would you hand over the keys to a stranger?
January 24th 2022 – A conman was caught after tricking owners of high-end cars including Ferraris, Bentleys and Masseratis, to hand over their car keys to him.
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F1 – Williams driver Alex Albon loses his car keys down the side of the sofa
January 20th 2022 – It wasn’t the best start for Alex Albon on his first official day as a 2022 driver for the team. The former Red Bull reserve driver turned up for his first day at the factory.. and promptly lost his keys (don’t worry Alex, you’re not alone – we’ve all done it). He was spared the indignation of having to go and rummage through the bins though as his keys were eventually found down the side of the sofa in the simulator room.
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Confirmation that Hyundai WILL use Apple’s Digital Car Key technology
January 18th 2022 – As well as Android devices, Hyundai now confirm that, like BMW, their Hyundai and Genesis ranges will be compatible with Apple devices to unlock their cars, perhaps as early as this coming summer.
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Car thief gets caught because he stopped at McDonald’s on the way!
January 17th 2022 – This story from Scotland tells the tale of a burglar who got caught after taking a lunch break at McDonald’s in the Vauxhall Vectra SRI he’d recently stolen.
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More news about Apple’s Digital Car Key
January 16th 2022 – Apple’s new creation seems to be creating a bit of a buzz, Read more about how your phone can unlock your car without using a key. Will this be safe in the future? Only time will tell.
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What’s a snap-resistant lock and do you need one?
January 15th 2022 – Following on from the story immediately below, the locksmith in this article suggests that a snap-resistant lock may help.
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How burglars are using a new way of breaking into people’s homes
January 14th 2022 – This trend spotted by a local locksmith seems to be gathering pace and involves the use of a blow torch to snap off door handles
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Could this be the death knell of the car key?
January 11th 2022 – Car keys have been with us for so long now; it’s hard to imagine getting into your car without one. This article explores advances in technology and how they could become a thing of the past.
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Thieves are using Apple AirTags to steal vehicles
December 7th 2021 – This article looks into how car thieves are increasingly using AirTags on high-end vehicles to track cars and steal them later. Beware, the crime often happens in car parks so make sure you check your vehicle before leaving.
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Is this the world’s largest lock?
January 4th 2021 – In this video, it’s claimed that the world’s largest lock has been created and is recognised by the Guinness Book of Records.
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Which one of the old Grange Hill cast became a locksmith?
January 7th 2022 – If you remember the original Grange Hill TV programme, find out what happened to the cast and who turned their attention away from acting and became a locksmith. Spoiler alert… it was Lee MacDonald who played Zammo 🙂
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A few tips to prevent car theft
January 1st 2022 – As this article mentions, car theft is often an opportunistic crime. This article provides a few handy tips on how to prevent it.
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Are keyless entry cars safe?
January 2nd 2022 – If you’re concerned about whether or not your keyless entry system on your car is safe, this article goes into more detail and provides a few tips to help prevent your keyless car from being stolen.
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Yet another all-too-common story
January 2nd 2022 – One of the most common ways cars are stolen is that the driver actually leaves them in an unattended car! Here’s yet another example of the same, oft-repeated story.
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Lost key tips
16th December 2020 – If you’ve just lost your car keys and are wondering what to do next, Auto Express has a few suggestions for you. Our advice is to contact us first.
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