Last night an opportunist broke into my apartment using a similar key, a small piece of polystyrene and some sort of lubricant spray.
Luckily the sight of me sat there in my jocks watching QI cause him/ them to scatter. Don't know why my room was targeted or being a foreigner was a factor, but I've now had an 'unbreakable' lock fitted. '' It will take them ten years to figure out how break this lock'', I was reliably informed.
Just a heads up to check your own situation guys.
They must have used a ungraded key (one with no teeth) and combined this with the Styrofoam to grate the lock in the right places. You can also use a key wrapped in leather to do this, but it has to be a lock that is very shallow and fairly uniform.
I was told the law in China was that if anyone breaks into your house you are not to restrain or harm them in anyway, but to politely ask them to wait while you call the police. Backwards.
Yeah that's how it was done. Next time I will pour him a beer, maybe break out the crackers and cheese whilst we wait for the police to arrive. Haha
Lockpicking skills known and practiced worldwide, Fox Mulder did it regularly; can be worried about wherever you go.
If you're home when somebody breaks in, I'm pretty sure they'll leave in a hurry, which is probably what you want them to do, though you could run down the stairs after them and tackle them. Note that burglars are not looking for violence, it's bad for their business. The police rule, if that's the real one - crackers and cheese, I like that - probably cuts down on violence, but I guess you can have it if you want it.
If you're not home, then of course they won't have to leave. Good that you were home, I doubt they'll be back, will figure you've seen them, there are other flats to burgle and there's no reason to think they are stupid.
Pretty simple, really. I don't know that home burglary is particularly prevalent here, or that it particularly targets foreigners, though I know a western foreigner to whom it has happened. Better locks are indeed better locks.
Georges Bressins (pretty sure I've got his name spelled wrong, but he's famous) wrote & performed a wonderful song about being burgled, can't remember the name.
Picking locks is not difficult and I have seen pick sets for sale.
One landlord in KM advised me to re-key my apartment and he did not want a new key. When I locked my self out, I called locksmith and he opened the door in less than 10 seconds.
As for being a foreigner, well, foreigners are rich and have a lot of stuff.
Think in investing a cctv and place it where they will see it. Also get a motion sensor barking dog device so they think you have some vicious dogs protecting your home. Just a few suggestions.
If you're at home and nobody is coming or going it's a good idea to engage the deadbolt lock.
We had an extra deadbolt added that has a wireless transmitter to lock/unlock it. A burglar getting past the main lock would find the other lock engaged and possibly assume someone is home, however, I'm told they can bypass these locks as well.
I have the fingerprint lock on my home, not quite as simple to break I'd imagine.
Still nothing's impossible if determined.
Petty crime is on the increase. Possibly a result of the income gap, coupled with the chances of being caught are low. Also, in the past people didn't have much worth stealing. I think any presumed empty place is a target, especially in a middle class area. It doesn't have much to do with being a foreigner. I think a lot of young Chinese are more gadget rich than we are, and a lot of these gadgets are left lying around at home. Easy pickings that are easy to sell on.
One problem is that most people buy one of the cheap locks from the local hardware store. Usually because when you move in one of the first things people do is change the locks, and the local hardware store in convenient.
Even basic security keys/locks, with the indents in the key and additional pins in the locks can be hacked. Also there are cheap 'fakes' that have the indents in the key, but not the pins in the lock.
The locks with a star shaped, or complicated 3d cam like keys are better.
When we go out, we always leave a light on, and leave a radio on louder than needed.
When we go away, we use a plug in timer switch to control additional lighting/sound. It may sound like a waste of electricity, but will not use much more electricity than an active security system with CCTV. The cost of a break-in theft is higher than most people realize, until they have to count the cost of replacement stuff and damage repairs.
As suggested above, invest a few dollars in a good lock. Think about leaving lights on when you go out. Maybe even think about buying a small safe for cash (lots of people leave cash 'hidden' where a thief can find it) and important documents. Trust no one, not even your security guards or building management.
The French poet and songwriter who wrote and performed the song about the burglar was Georges Brassens, but I still don't know the song title, would like to have it, if anybody knows.
