How safe are key safes?!

[Channy]

Hi all,

My gran was discharged from hospital last week and the HTT are finding they are unable to get into our home because my gran just isn't answering the door to anybody. The OT has recommended that we get a key safe fitted which I am worried about as the burglaries are rife in my area and particularly on my street.

I wanted to know how safe are these key safe boxes and has anybody had any bad experiences with them?

Channy x

 

[rajahh]

I have a key safe and must admit I was not that happy about it.

However I think that even if it was prised off the wall it would still need a lot of effort and brute force to get it open.

I think a chance thief would try elsewhere, or look for an open window etc, not hang around for the length of time it would take to get at the key.

Jeannette

 

[jenniferpa]

I put my mother's keysafe at the back door - I just felt that having something that screamed "vulnerable person here" probably wasn't the wisest thing. I would agree, though, that the box itself was secure - the most a person probably could have done with it if they had manged to pull it off would be to throw it throw a window.

 

[Jessbow]

Sited descretely they are fine, screwed to a wall as the should be ( ie correctly)

Mums is behind a drainpipe, so obscured from veiw.

What bothers me more is the whacking great yellow bag i have to dump outside every thursday that screams ''Hey , neighbours , I poo my pants!''

 

[min88cat]

We found it invaluable - as we didn't live near MIL and carers needed to get in. We made sure we bought one from a reputable locksmith- it was quite expensive but well worth it. Never had any problems, and we now have it outside our kitchen door in case we lock ourselves out after dog walking!

 

[hollycat]

I have just sent you a private message in reply to this post

Tks

 

[Grandma Joan]

we fitted one for MIL after she fell when we were away and no one else had a key. Now we have given neighbours a key too and the code to her keysafe

 

[Pollyanna]

Without a keysafe, someone would have had to break into my nan's house on a couple of occasions due to falls and that would have terrified her. In hindsight, she probably shouldn't have been living alone by that stage!

My neighbour had one and it's not in a very discreet place and I do think it could have been place somewhere more subtle. The new owners are renovating the house and their builder, plumbers, etc find it very useful!

 

[nitram]

"...I wanted to know how safe are these key safe boxes..."

The usual push button type will accept the digits of the code in any order ie 3214 is the same as 4231 , this means that the four buttons in the code soon become cleaner looking than the others, as they can be pressed in any order it's easy to gain access.
You can vary the code or rub the buttons on a regular basis to overcome this.


The rotate thumb-wheel type do not suffer from this defect but are much more fiddly and if exposed to rain on a very cold day need defrosting.

 

[jo76]

my nanna had to had a key safe fitted for carers coming in. the police advised us on which one to buy. we got it from the crime prevention website, it was £60 but the police said it was that is was the only type that they recommend. x

 

[Contrary Mary]

I know keysafes are a good thing, really, but I have to admit to nodding my head at Jennifer's post. These sort of thing do need to be as discreet as possible so as not to "advertise" the presence of an elderly person, and furthermore, one who must be alone.

 

[Goingitalone]

"...I wanted to know how safe are these key safe boxes..."

The usual push button type will accept the digits of the code in any order ie 3214 is the same as 4231 , this means that the four buttons in the code soon become cleaner looking than the others, as they can be pressed in any order it's easy to gain access.
You can vary the code or rub the buttons on a regular basis to overcome this.


The rotate thumb-wheel type do not suffer from this defect but are much more fiddly and if exposed to rain on a very cold day need defrosting.

Yes, Mum's was the push button type and we were warned that the numbers could be put in in any order. Good idea to rub the others from time to time. The authorities usually will locate them discreetly and will put them where you prefer if you're there at the time of fitting.