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15 Sep 2007 12:00 AM by max! Star rating in Fuengirola. 944 forum posts Send private message

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We have discussed it before on this forum but only briefly. Our current front door locks have been in use for two years. Every builder, subcontractor, rep from the promoter etc. got copies of the keys. They were laying all over the place: in open cars from painters or openly displayed on a large ring on the grass. Sometimes they were "hidden" in the flower pots on the second floor for graps for all those that didn't have their own copies.
 
It's imperative that you change those keys. It's an easy operation which will cost you the price of a new cylinder and some labour costs. It can be done by a locksmith, you can ask us to do it or you can do it yourself if you know how. In any case make sure that you do it before you have your furniture in. Burglars in Spain are quite familiar with these holiday resorts and they know that in the first six weeks it's easy to drive up and down with a van as it's a regular sight.
 
You can swap with your neighbours, but this will be false security. Burglars are not that interested in the label on the key: they just take the whole chain and try them out. It will take them a few minutes to try twenty locks and they know they won't be stopped as we are all new and can't differentiate between new neighbours fiddling with their new keychain and people with other intentions.
 
If you replace the lock (actually the cylinder) make sure you pick one which is hard to pick :) So don't go for the standard locksmith replacement. He'll charge you at least forty Euro's for a toy which costs less than ten Euros in a good hardware store.  These locks are open within a minute. Make sure you get one which is protected against drilling and has anti pick pins which preferably are hardened. If you consider letting it out to friends or guests make sure these keys are hard to copy otherwise you'll be back where you started. People do copy them as it's handy for the rest of the holiday company or your trusted key holder considers it more convenient to give the maintenance guy a copyl
 
A good quality lock installed and well with five keys included and a key registration certificate will cost you less than 100 Euros. If you want even more security than described above it will set you back about 150 Euros. It doesn't matter if you give us the order or a local locksmith (there are loads of them at the costa); the main issue is that you do change them!
Your insurance won't even pay out if your lock is opened and there are no signs of breaking in!
 
P.S. If you have a semi-sotano remember to change the lock of the gates at the back as well!



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15 Sep 2007 11:19 PM by Andy irwin Star rating in England/Spain. 58 forum posts Send private message

Hi Max

I will be out on the 12th of October to move my furniture in . Who is doing your locks for you?. Can they do mine?.

Regards

 

Andy



_______________________
  Apartment available for holiday rental.


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15 Sep 2007 11:41 PM by max! Star rating in Fuengirola. 944 forum posts Send private message

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Hi Andy,
I do it myself as I have ample experience and don't like to wait for a locksmith until manana. Especially as I want a decent lock and not the rubbish he happens to carry with him.
PM me or preferably use the link in my signature to arrange things.
 
Congratulations with your completion!



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17 Sep 2007 11:47 AM by RG Star rating. 299 forum posts Send private message

Max, what store would you recommend to buy the locks from?


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17 Sep 2007 10:03 PM by max! Star rating in Fuengirola. 944 forum posts Send private message

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Hi RG,
Difficult question.
The local ferretería will have some locks, but little choice at a very high cost. The large hardware stores are cheaper (try AKI, Leroy Merlin or Bauhaus) but their assortment is limited as well. By now we know which store has what, so if we know the clients wishes we know where to go, but it's still a gamble as their stock is not very reliable.
I just bought a number of cylinders for the most popular demands and use my own little stock to save us the time and the trouble.
For people with semi-sotanos I would advise you to go for an identical cylinder for both gates at the terrace. The original gates have different keys so you end up with a lot of keys. You will also want some external lock protection as the locks are extending too far from the gates. It would be easy to force them out with simple tools.



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17 Sep 2007 10:14 PM by eoin Star rating. 153 forum posts Send private message

Hi Max

I was thinking about the gates at the patio and I did think of buying two motor bike chain locks and putting them around the bars. even if we only used these when we were not there. What do you think of that idea?




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17 Sep 2007 10:46 PM by max! Star rating in Fuengirola. 944 forum posts Send private message

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Hi Eoin,
This could certainly work, but its vulnerable to a bold cutter. As a cutter is very silent burglars prefer these to drilling out locks. It seems inconvenient if you're actually using the apartment. If you go out for the evening it's a lot of work so chances are you forget to do it. The problem is that the whole residencia is mainly a holiday resort so thieves won't even know that you are actually living there for some weeks.



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17 Sep 2007 11:14 PM by RG Star rating. 299 forum posts Send private message

Another idea for the patio doors would be place a metal bar cut to size on the inside at the bottom so that it obstructs the sliding door from opening, if you understand what i mean.


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18 Sep 2007 12:28 PM by kirjim2 Star rating. 23 forum posts Send private message

This is very effective - have just come back from Fuengirola and stayed at the Monte Canada apartments also built by Don Juan. The apartments had the small metal strips with a plastic stopper at both ends and plastic tye wire to pull it out of the cavity or runner.  Also had bottom key locks on the patio style doors  - in the bedrooms and out to the terrace. can't be too careful.

 

Kirjim2




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23 Sep 2007 10:29 PM by max! Star rating in Fuengirola. 944 forum posts Send private message

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Normally extra locks are very wise as you want to delay the burglar. In a residential area thieves don't like to take more than three minutes to get in so they will search for another victim.
The burglars at the Costa are of a different kind. They are very well organized, know which resorts are mostly used for holidays and have no problem spending a few extra minutes. The chances that they will be noticed are too small to be an issue.
Glass patio doors will be cut so extra stops don't matter. An extra front door lock is one (1) extra minute for an experienced burglar. It may sound harsh, but it's the reality here.
If you want safety go for good alarms and vote on the meeting for a permanent guard. Both are much more effective.



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