iPhone App Allows Homeowner To Witness Break In

An iPhone application helped a Dallas man, while visiting relatives hundreds of miles away in suburban Hartford, Conn., watch as two burglars broke into his home.

Vincent Hunter told WFAA-TV that he called 911 at the same time his home security system also contacted authorities.

Hunter says "we could see it unfolding."

Hunter says an iCam app, which he bought for less than $5, sent him a text message Friday afternoon alerting him that motion detectors sensed movement in his supposedly empty residence.

Hunter, who has webcams in his home, watched as two men are seen trying to break into the place. They eventually throw a brick through a glass door. The webcams, minutes later, show two police officers entering the house.

Both suspects remain at large.

This article shows that whilst electronic home security systems can be useful, they do nothing to actually protect your property. Many existing alarm companies market their products as security protection products, yet alarms have never and can never actually protect your property. Alarms are specifically designed to inform rather than protect. If you still feel the need to be informed that your property is being burglarized, then perhaps an alarm is for you. Personally I would rather install devices and products that prevent my property from being unlawfully opened in the first instance.

The only products that can prevent break ins are locks and related security protection devices. It is nice to be informed isnt it?

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2010 St. Louis Award - Press Release

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Master Key Systems America, LLC Receives 2010 St. Louis Award

U.S. Commerce Association’s Award Plaque Honors the Achievement

WASHINGTON D.C., September 10, 2010 -- For the third consecutive year, Master Key Systems America, LLC has been selected for the 2010 St. Louis Award in the Locksmiths & Keys category by the U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA).

The USLBA "Best of Local Business" Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USLBA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.

Nationwide, only 1 in 120 (less than 1%) 2010 Award recipients qualified as three-time Award Winners. Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2010 USLBA Award Program focused on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USLBA and data provided by third parties.

About U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA)

U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA) is a Washington D.C. based organization funded by local businesses operating in towns, large and small, across America. The purpose of USLBA is to promote local business through public relations, marketing and advertising.

The USLBA was established to recognize the best of local businesses in their community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations, chambers of commerce and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to be an advocate for small and medium size businesses and business entrepreneurs across America.

SOURCE: U.S. Local Business Association

CONTACT:
U.S. Local Business Association
Email: PublicRelations@uslbaaward.com
URL: http://www.uslbaaward.com

Top 20 Under 20 - St Louis Small Business Monthly Award

We are pleased to announce we recently were awarded by St Louis Small Business Monthly an award for being one of the regions top 20 businesses with under 20 employees. The following article appeared in the Creve Coeur Olivette Chamber of Commerce newsletter...

On August 19th Small Business Monthly held a luncheon to

recognize the area’s top entrepreneurs with fewer than 20

employees. Danny Gurvis from Master Key Systems America

was honored as one of the “Top 20 Under Twenty”. Reprinted

below, with permission, is an article written by Small Business

Monthly.

In July 2006, when Danny Gurvis was challenged by a

colleague at BiLock, a distributor of a high-tech security product

line, to work on a business plan and start his own company, he

took the challenge seriously. He spent six months writing the plan

for Master Key Systems America LLC, a residential and

commercial locksmith business, and by December was off and

running. "The first nine months were spent procuring machinery,

tools, equipment, inventory, developing a marketing plan, and

advertising, all on a shoestring budget," says Gurvis.

A native of Melbourne, Australia, Gurvis worked as an

apprentice in the locksmith industry, learning from the best and

mastering his trade. Today he has used his experience to train

two part-time employees and increase Master Key Systems’

revenue by around 500%. "From the humble beginnings of one

job each week, we are now attending to approximately three to

five job requests per day," he says. “Our inventory has certainly

grown, and we are installing biometric access control systems

and closed-circuit television systems. We are also installing key

control systems for banks, schools and office-based companies

seeking greater control of their inter- and intra-office mechanical

physical security systems."

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More and More Satisfied Bilock customers

More and more demand for simpler control of key systems is increasingly leading people to the intelligent purchase of our Bilock product line.
The Australian designed Bilock Extreme Security locking system.
Now manufactured under license in the United States, this competitively priced product CANNOT be picked or bumped.
The unique key design is available in your choice of almost 9000 colour combinations.
The key system can be used in most lock hardware products in the market.

New Generation BiLock offers the security concious an innovative new look, twin bladed key which operates a 12-pin program of tumbler pins, six on either side. These pins, in turn, activate two side-bars to provide the end user with up to 16.7 million possible lock combinations. In addition to a space age moving element within the key an extraordinarily shaped, horizontally postitioned security rod has been built into the cylinder core to activate the 13th locking dimension. Without the moving element, this 13th dimension cannot be activated, this adds yet another feature to BiLock's already exceptional level of security.

Vacation Over - We are Back!

Back to work today. Much administration to do, including communications activities and vehicle setups...most likely able to be on the road at around 4pm this afternoon. Thanks all for your patience.

Matrix Key System – Brilliant new lock makes lost keys less problematic

If you’ve ever had to change a lock, you know what a hassle it can be. Now the Matrix Key System means you’ll never have to call a locksmith again. Designed by Australian locksmith Stuart Webb, this amazing system disables any lost or stolen keys and can be adapted to any type of lock, including doors, garages and padlocks. It also eliminates the ability to “bump” or jimmy your lock, giving you added security. The bottom line is that to change the lock, you only need to insert a new key into this system and it’s done.

Standard locks use pin tumblers of different lengths placed inside narrow chambers. Insert the correct key and the pins align, which allows the barrel to turn and the lock to open. Webb’s Matrix system lets the length of the pins change when you insert a new key. Each lock sold in this system comes with a series of keys – usually between six and twelve. Want to change the lock? Just grab the next key in the series, insert it into the lock, and viola! You’ve now got a new lock! How easy is that? More info and video here.

… we turned our focus to developing a 100% mechanical product that incorporated the 3 most important features;
* Disable missing keys – this was by far the biggest advantage electronic had over mechanical
* Standard design – it had to be compatible with existing locks and cylinders already in the marketplace.
* Bump-proof – lock-bumping is causing chaos in the Americas and has the same potential in the UK.

Unlock your Hotel Door with Mobile phone says gadget guy

Following the airing of a segment on a nationally televised television program in Australia, the fallout in the hotel industry has been significant.

It seems that a particular video, detailing how a simple hack, requiring no special tools or materials, can be applied to many of the existing hotel room door locks in use throughout the world.

The hotel industry is particularly concerned about the security of it's guests with many leading hotels (and others) scrambling to mitigate the potential security breach and damages that this revelation has highlighted.

The video of the segment has apparently been taken down for fear of widespread security breaches, but essentially the hack involves an already pre-programmed room card, when inserted into another (different) room door lock and a mobile telephone held close to the door lock, the pressing of any keypad button, apparently allows a magnetic induction signal to emit from the phone, tricking the particular lock into thinking the keycard inserted is the correct programmed key.

Electronic security products are all the rage today, but are constantly being found wanting in the quality and suggested security they are being designed or used for.

While I agree that electronic security products certainly have their place in modern security environments, the time tested mechanical security product will continue to serve us because of it's ability to continually do what it is designed to do without the reliance on electricity.

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Commercial alternatives...

An alternative to the brand name products, K2 manufacture excellent quality, pure form and function products, tailored to many and varied requests.

Owned by Stanley, Black & Decker, their range of commercial hardware alternatives are being used in increasing quantities all across the country.

I have personally installed some of their products and the customer satisfaction is among the highest rates of products I have used recently.

The competitive pricing significantly positions K2 as a leading contender to the Big Brand Name products.

QCI200 Grade 2 Interconnect Levers

The QCI200 series interconnected levers are designed for multifamily, assisted living, commercial & mixed use applications where single motion egress is required. These leversets deliver premium performance and are designed to withstand the physical abuses of the applied environment.

• Tested to exceed 400,000 cycles for Grade 2 certification
• Single motion egress provides easy emergency exit
• Full 1" (25mm) throwbolt with saw resistant hardened steel roller pin
• Anti-drill design deadbolt?two (2) ball bearings inserted to prevent drill attacks
• ADA thumbturn

• ANSI/BHMA A156.12 - 1999 Grade 2
• UL/cUL listed (3-hours) for "A" label single door applications (4'x 8') (1.219m x 2.438m)
• UL10C / UBC 7-2 (1997) Positive Pressure Rated
• UL10B Pressure Rated
• ADA Compliant ANSI A117.1 Accessibility Code

• Door Range – 13/8" - 13/4" (35mm - 44.5mm)
• 4" Center to Center
• Backset – 2 3/4" (70mm) standard. 2 3/8" (60mm) available
• Exposed Trim – Wrought brass or bronze with cast zinc lever
• Strikes – "T" strike 11/8" x 2 3/4" standard for lever, deadbolt strike 11/8" x 23/4" standard. Other strike options also available.
• Latchbolt – Keyed 1/2"(13mm) Steel Throw with auxillary latch, passage 1/2" (13mm) spring latch
• Handing – All QCI200 locksets are non-handed
• Standard door prep: 2 1/8" Cross Bore (54mm)
• Latch Hole: 1" Diameter Edge Bore
• Rose Diameter: 2 1/2" (63mm)
• Inside Escutcheon 3" x 8" (76mm x 203mm); Optional Exterior Escutcheon 3 1/4" x 8" (82.5mm x 203mm)

• 6-pin brass cylinders. Many keying options available from our factory to include, but not limited to, master keying, grandmaster keying and construction keying. Small Format Interchangeable Core cylinder also available
• 2 Keys per lockset
• Offered with the following keyway options: KW-Kwikset, WE-Weiser, SC-Schlage, GA-Yale, LA-Sargent, BF-Best "F" & LC-Less Cylinder.

Lifetime Mechanical & 3 year finish*
*(613/US10B carries no finish warranty)

30 - Single Locking (Passage Lever)
31 - Single Locking SFIC (Passage Lever)
50 - Double Locking (Entry Lever)
51 - Double Locking SFIC (Entry Lever)

605 - Bright Brass ; US Code US3
613 - Oil Rubbed Bronze ; US Code US10B
619 - Satin Nickel ; US Code US15
626 - Satin Chrome ; US Code US26D

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