When you live in a larger city, burglaries can be a common occurrence in residential areas, with criminals taking advantage of both family properties and single occupants. Houses tend to be more often targeted than flats and apartments due to distance between neighbours and fewer security measures in place to deter such behaviour, as one of our most recent customers unfortunately discovered.
At Leeds Lock Doc, our expert locksmith services extend to more than just spare keys and gaining entry, we also provide services in the event of a burglary too. One of our most recent customers – who will be referred to as ‘John’ for privacy reasons – has allowed us to share his story after experiencing a break in at his new home on Rylands Way.
The Problem
John returned home from work at roughly 11:30pm to find the front door, which had been equipped with a standard lock system, appeared to have been forcefully opened. Indications of a forced entry were evident, as the door frame was visibly damaged and the lock mechanism was compromised.
An initial assessment of the situation revealed that several small electronic items were missing. This included a laptop, which John used for his work and personal affairs, a tablet device, and a digital camera. Additionally, an undisclosed amount of cash, which had been stowed away in a drawer in his bedroom, was also found to be missing. The loss of these items not only posed a financial burden but also a significant emotional and psychological impact on John, as some of the electronics contained personal information and memories. After contacting the police, John reached out to us and we responded.
Service Provided
When we arrived at the property, we carried out a thorough assessment of the damage to the door and lock, focusing primarily on providing repairs and upgrading the security of the property. We began by replacing the compromised lock with a high-quality, more secure alternative, which would make this method of break-in much more difficult in the future.
We then did a quick sweep of the other locks on the property, including window locks and the locks on the patio and back doors to make sure they hadn’t been compromised in some way too. Mostly, we checked to make sure there was no indication of damage that would allow the burglar to regain entry at a later date.
Result
John’s home was properly re-secured against burglars with higher grade locks that will make breaking in through the front door a much more difficult task. Our goal was to restore John’s feeling of comfort and safety in his home, something that can be difficult to build back up after a break in, but with the quality locks we installed, we’re sure he’ll feel safe and secure again in no time.
John recently reached back out to us – a few weeks after the break in happened – to thank us for our service and our professional but friendly attitude throughout the ordeal. He was so pleased with our service, he has sent over a brief personal testimonial that we have been granted permission to use below.
Customer Testimonial
“When I came home to my door hanging open and my house clearly invaded by strangers, I felt completely lost. Leeds Lock Doc was honestly a light in the dark, providing a fast response to my issue in the middle of the night and carrying out repairs that have left me feeling much better about being in my home. Thankfully, I haven’t had any other issues but if this ordeal has given me anything, it’s an expert locksmith that I’d definitely use in the future for any lock issue I experience.” – John.