With criminals getting smarter and more technologically advanced every day, it’s crucial for every business owner to remain up-to-date on the latest ways to prevent theft. There are multiple types of theft, and each one can be monitored in a unique way. Read on to learn the top three types of theft and how to prevent them.

• Shoplifting. Perhaps the most well-known type of theft, shoplifting describes when a criminal, disguised as an average customer, goes into your store and leaves with items that they did not pay for. Your employees will be your first line of defense against shoplifting; most shoplifters are amateur thieves, and are frequently scared away by the presence of employees. Tagging expensive merchandise with security alarms can also help deter shoplifters, and companies providing commercial door locks in Philadelphia can help keep back inventory away from customers with sticky fingers.

• Burglaries. Burglary is when someone with unauthorized access enters your business, sometimes by force, and usually with the intention to steal. High-security locks in Philadelphia can be installed on the outside of your door, making it much more difficult for thieves to access. These types of locks can also be created with special keys, so your employees will have after-hours access while criminals will not.

• Employee theft. Unfortunately, the most common type of theft is also the most difficult to prevent. Every year, employers lose over 50 billion dollars’ worth of cash, merchandise, and supplies due to employee dishonesty. According to the American Society of Employment, managers are the most likely employees to steal, and the most commonly stolen item is cash from skimming off the top of the register or safe. You can reduce employee theft by carefully counting safes and register drawers, practicing regular accounting, spending as much time as possible in your store or business, and by paying your employees fairly.

For more information on how to prevent theft or to purchase a high-quality locking system, we encourage you to contact our experts at Mike’s Lock Shop today.

Getting ready to leave your home for work after a long weekend, you make sure you have your coffee and lunch. You go to grab your car keys at the basket near your front door, but they are nowhere to be found. Frantically searching for them, you realize you must’ve lost them at some point over the weekend.

This situation might feel familiar. Or, maybe, instead of losing your car key, your electronic remote stops working. The sound of your vehicle unlocking and the chirp you are used to hearing are absent. Your electronic key needs to be repaired.

At Mike’s Lock Shop, our team of knowledgeable locksmiths is there for all of your car key programming and replacement needs in Bucks County and the surrounding areas. We also believe it is important to educate you and inform you about this technology and where it is heading. Here are some things you need to know about automotive keys and the future of accessing vehicles.

Basic Car Fobs

Basic car keys fobs are the remotes attached to your car key that you put into your ignition. The key fob works as a transmitter that sends a signal to your vehicle’s receiver. This signal contains unique codes that are generated by the remote and understood by your vehicle.

Smart Keys

Smart keys use radio waves to speak to your vehicle’s antennas and work when they are in proximity to the car. Drivers enjoy perks such as unlocking doors and remote ignition without having to use a physical key. Some automobiles unlock by just grabbing the door handle. Features such as opening a car’s trunk by putting your foot under the rear bumper are also a reality. These keys send out a different encrypted signal each time they are used to ward off hackers.

There are some interesting smart key fobs from high-end manufacturers. BMW has one that has a touchscreen and gives options such as air, vehicle service information and more. Jaguar has a waterproof wristband that opens a car, and Tesla’s Model S can be pulled forward and backward with its smart key.

Future Access

Innovation and technological advancement have brought forth different ways of accessing vehicles. Ford announced at CES 2017 that their newer vehicles will work in conjunction with the Amazon Echo device. Drivers will make voice commands to the device’s voice assistant, Alexa, to start their vehicle, turn off a car, lock or unlock the doors and see what the battery power level is. These commands will still work even if the car is miles away from the Amazon Echo. Additionally, Volvo is ridding their newer vehicles of keys and replacing car access with Bluetooth technology that is controlled by a smartphone app.

Whatever automotive key you have, we can replace it or provide you with a new one at an affordable price. Our expert technicians are trained to provide service to the latest technology and will address all of your car key programming needs that you will encounter in Montgomery County and nearby communities.

You can learn more about our automotive key options by calling 215-495-0133 or filling out a contact form today.

Establishing a strong level of security isn’t only about implementing the most effective lock system; it’s also about who has the key. Even with the best security strategy on the market installed, nothing is safe or protected when access is granted to the wrong person. Why do you think there are surveillance cameras stationed at every teller booth in financial institutions? Because sometimes, the thief may not be a customer, but rather, a trusted employee who was provided with the lock box key and combinations to the vault.

Creating key control is essential to providing defense against criminal activity such as theft. Whether security is needed for the safety of residential property or commercial businesses, key control is important and should be utilized. To ensure that the right people have access to your business or home, security management can be put in place using key control systems. There are various security methods that can be used to enhance the level of safety and protection. Choose the one that will best suit your needs with assistance from your local locksmith in Montgomeryville, PA.

High security locks, restricted keys and master key systems allow control access to be better managed so that only authorized individuals can enter. Here’s how they can benefit a residential dwelling or a commercial business:

Manage All of the Keys at Once. Do you have ten or more keys that need to be tracked? With modern technology, there’s no need to have them all jingling on one giant key ring. Many high security systems come with computerized software that allow the user to manage and control a large number of keys at one time. Whether you need to manage just five keys or up to a thousand keys, a record can be kept on all of them through the convenience of a digital platform that is user-friendly.

Keys Can Be Dispersed by Consent Only. The high level security of a key control system provides you with the power to release keys to authorized people. The system makes it difficult for individuals to take or touch keys without permission. Key access can be denied or blocked instantly using the key control system’s electronic software.

Built-in Alerts and Reminders Improve Protective Measures. Weewoo, weewoo, weewoo! If you have a key control system installed and have walked out of the building with a key, then that sound is a built-in alarm that has gone off because the keys were not put back in their rightful place. This alarm, as well as other built-in alerts, are helpful in enforcing security measures and restrictions, especially in a work environment involving employees.

The advantage of using a key control system stretches beyond the protection of assets and occupants to providing essential information that plays a role in ensuring safety. Common security dilemmas can be solved in a flash with the features of a key control system, which provides the identity of all key holders, what keys are being held by which people, and the time frame keys were used. In a world where not everyone can be trusted, key control lets you hand the keys to authorized personnel while you remain in charge.