LASA NEWS

Hello members!

If you have just joined our family as a new member, welcome!

Our National AGM was held recently at the very posh offices of SHOL.

Thank you once again to Shawn Bartlett and his team for arranging this

for LASA. We would also like to thank all the other suppliers for the

amazing

Presentations that they have delivered and to each and every locksmith

who attended the AGM. We were very lucky to have PSIRA

representatives at our AGM that could answer all our locksmiths’

questions!

Our branch AGM’s are all currently being arranged with most of them

taking place in September so please look out for these invites and make

an effort to attend as I know the various committee members have big

things planned for you! Wishing you a great September!

Maritsa Gouws

EASTERN CAPE

NEWS

CISA girls from Cape Town came down to Port Elizabeth to the Lasa Training Centre.

It was a successful product info session and locksmiths mingling meeting / evening

GOOD HOUSE KEEPING – MOBILE SHOP

Freestate News

Many years ago in the late 1980's we did work for the old Volkskas Bank in Durban.

We were called out by the main branch to open the grill gate in their main vault.

On my arrival, to my astonishment I was looking at our Kwa zulu Natal Lasa Chairman and a few of his workers

standing behind the locked grill gate.

He had been called in by head office Johannesburg to remove safes from the branch back to Johannesburg.

They had entered the open vault to start work, when one of his staff closed the grill gate because it was in their

way.

Unknown to them the branch never locked the grill gate because they had no keys for the latch lock on the grill

gate.

Not having any tools on them other than pallet jack and rollers they said the bank better get hold of someone

to open the lock.

The branch said they were calling AA Locksmiths who did all their work, and Alwyn LeCarne (LASA Chairman)

said they will never be able to open the lock.

I had no idea why I had been called by the branch and to walk in and see all these guys behind bars in the vault

was hilarious and a good laugh was had by all.

Alwyn then told me I will never be able to open the lock, but I had it open in a few minutes, and they were able

to carry on with their work.

RIP Alwyn. Hilarious to the end.

TRUE STORY

SUBMITTED BY TIM

FROM AA

LOCKSMTIHS

DURBAN

Please

note that

you can

download

the new

PSIRA APP

on APP

Store

The Free State and Northern Cape Branch of LASA would like to congratulate Maritsa Gouws National Chairman, Johan Du Preez National Vice Chairman and Elsa Milwidsky National Treasurer with their reelection for the next year. Maritsa, thank you for all your hard work and passionate dedication to LASA in the year gone by. We sincerely hope the next year will be even more successful for you as National Chairman. Johan, congratulation with your reelection as National Vice Chairman, thank you for all the years of service to LASA. Elsa, congratulation with your reelection to National treasurer. Thank you for all the years’ hard work and dedication to LASA. We as FS & NC Branch sincerely hope you as a team will grow from strength to strength the coming year. Last but not least we want to thank Dora Ryan for all her hard work at LASA HQ we appreciate it more than you know. Sincerely yours, Leanie Louw Chairlady FS & NC Branch

GOLF 5 6 7 and Polo TSi current

This is not a new method but I still get calls about it.

The process is the same with Golf 5, 6 and 7 and the new

polo TSi using HU 162 profile.

Locate the wiring loom on the left hand side of the boot. Open the loom from the

body side of the car.

You will see that the wires are wrapped in a black cloth type material.

If you push the loom further you will see the wires.

Continue on next slide

Locate the thin white wires.

I attached my earth to the exhaust.

Probe each thin white wire and pulse it with the opposite reading (ie. If its negative

then pulse with positive).

You will hear a click and the boot will kick open slightly when the correct wire is

triggered.

Push the VW emblem in the center of the boot and it becomes a handle to open the

boot.

Quintin Brand

Knysna Locksmiths

P.O. Box 646 Milnerton 7435 Cape Town,

South Africa

www.lockshop.co.

za B14 Sanlam Business

Fax: +27 (0)21 555-1801 Park, Racecourse Road Securing

YOUR assets Tel: +27 (0)21 555-1720 Milnerton 7441

info@lockshop.co.za

SECURITY REQUIRES A HOLISTIC APPROACH

Unless your core business is catching thieves in-the-act and making arrests - electronic security measures will be wasted if you cannot keep intruders, vandals and thieves out of the premises. CCTV may furnish useful evidence after the fact – but it cannot stop theft - unless good basic security measures are already in place!

Stopping theft or dishonesty requires a holistic approach – fitting the occasional lock or access control to the odd door, or a camera in an obvious place, is not enough, particularly when it is a known fact that staff are most likely to be involved in losses. They will KNOW where the cameras cannot see, may know the weak spots better than Management do, and know how to exploit them!

The following general principles apply to all doors, whether or not you are using CCTV, guards, armed response, dogs, bars, lights, high security keys, finger or face biometrics, keypads, tags or other electronic devices: Start by securing all doors properly and appropriately – so that you are building your security on a secure foundation. Lock off the doors that are not needed, provided they are not fire exits.

• Ensure that all doors and door frames are hung and working correctly so that they

are not ‘weak links’. Lack of maintenance, paint or varnish can cause otherwise-

good timber doors to crack or warp, which will stop them from closing or opening

properly.

Good hinges are important – particularly where crow-bar

resistance is required. Make sure that all screw-holes have

screws, and that they are heavy enough and well tightened.

• Lock off those doors that neither the public nor staff need access to – and put them

under a ‘Management only’ key (as long as they are NOT designated Emergency

Exits or Fire Escapes).

• Padlocks and surface-mounted locks should not be used on

external doors if at all possible.

o Padlocks or their hasps can be cut,

o Padlocks can be substituted during working hours –

leaving management under the impression that the keys

are in the right hands, when in fact management’s

padlock may not even be the one on the door at all!

o Surface mounted locks (like the night latch at right) are

easier to tamper with because they are on the surface

and can often be ‘bumped’ off the door. (This does NOT usually apply to

the steel bodied surface mounted gate locks and electric locks, which,

although surface mounted, are usually more securely fixed).

Continue on next

slide

o The strength of a mortice lock is largely in the fact that it sits INSIDE

the door and is protected by the timber or aluminium of the door itself,

from the weather. Mortice mounting also makes it harder to reach or to

tamper with the lock (shown at right in a timber door).

o Use Morticed locks wherever possible in preference to padlocks or

surface mounted locks.

• CYLINDER Mortice Locks are generally better than lever locks.

The keys for most lever locks can be bought over the counter by

number; (this does not apply to some of the more expensive 5 & 6

lever locks). Better quality double-throw cylinder locks (such as the

CISA one at right) can generally be expected to have many

thousands of unique different keys. However you will only get the

quality and security that you pay for!

o Cylinders can be removed and replaced whenever a key is

lost or stolen, using only a valid key and a screwdriver (while the door is

in the open position).

o Cylinders are available with key operation from both sides, or a

thumbturn on the inside, as well as half-cylinders (for cupboards, ducts

etc.)

Double Cylinder Thumb-turn Cylinder Half Cylinder Key both sides Key outside, thumbturn inside Key outside only

o Cylinders can be keyed-alike (same key for all), or master-keyed

(different key for each lock plus a Master-key to fit all), to suit the needs

of Management.

High Security cylinders with registered and properly regulated

keys requiring an authorised signature for every key made, will

put Management in control of key proliferation.

• Consider all the doors that staff need to use and restrict them accordingly (a cleaner

working only in wing A does not need access to wing B, etc).

• Look at doors departmentally and equip them so that staff/guests have access only

to their own area / accommodation, plus the necessary doors in common areas.

• Fit a second lock (usually a deadlock – fitted 500 mm above or below the main lock)

for extra security against outside attack.

• Door closers are extremely important on all hinged

emergency or access controlled doors. The visible

overhead type are generally best for access control

because the better brands are dual-action, having

separate closing speed and finer latching speed

adjustments, to ensure engagement of the latch or panic bolt.

o On fire doors – door closers ensure proper closing, to prevent the

ingress of fresh air –which would fan a fire. Automatic door closing will

also prevent intruders and vandalism, after escape has taken place.

• FIRE ESCAPES: Identify and be careful NOT to lock Fire Escapes – they must

always be manually openable from the INSIDE, by anyone, in dark or smoky

conditions, without tools, keys or special knowledge. This is NOT an option but a

legal requirement!

Keys in break-glass boxes, and break-glass tubes are NOT permitted on fire exits at all. A

handle or a thumbturn may be permitted in small o occupancies where no hazardous materials are used or stored. As a

general rule, a FireRated panic bar will always be acceptable on any

hinged door.

Normally such emergency doors are expected to prevent any

access from outside. However, access from the outside (by

key, face or fingerprint biometrics, tag, card etc) can be

implemented, using the correct panic hardware and access

control accessories.

Panic bars with vertical locking rods (as seen at extreme left)

offer better protection against attack from outside.

Fire exits can be alarmed and / or monitored,

provided escape is not hindered in any way.

• CCTV: Cameras are good deterrents and are a valuable source of evidence during

an event if monitored live, and after the event - if a vehicle or face of a burglar or

attacker is visible. They will not necessarily deter a determined masked miscreant

from opening your doors – particularly if the criminal knows where the cameras are.

CCTV is NOT a substitute for good basic security–but a good additional measure.

There are many useful and desirable accessories for filtering people and allowing authorised access, using facial recognition, finger-biometrics, cards, tags, keypads, GSM and Bluetooth mobile phone technology – and these should all be recognised as valuable & sophisticated switches - that examine certain criteria before allowing operation of the lock or striker at the door. However, if the doors or gates are not properly made, properly hung with good hinges, and fitted with the correct locks and door closers, the money spent on electronics can never provide the desired level of protection against theft & intrusion.

Saving money by buying poor quality doors, hinges, locks and door closers will prove more expensive in the medium-long term, and will significantly lower the level of security.

The above information is of a very general nature and should be used only with expert site-specific advice. For further information or to arrange a consultation contact: DAVID MILLER Phone +27 (0)21-555-1720 lockman@ lockshop.co.za

Pieces of the Pie By Gale Johnson

During the 1930's a locksmith named E.D. Reed began collecting key codes and assembling them into books

of codes. Mr. Reed was not the only one; there were a few other locksmiths, locksmith associations and lock

manufacturers who also offered key code books during that same time period. Companies such as Curtis and

Baxter introduced their own code book versions a few years later.

After key code books appeared locksmiths became keepers of the codes. Key cutting machines were available

to car dealers and some dealers could originate keys for their own particular model but the vast majority of key

origination was done by locksmiths.

Making keys by code is possible because depths and spacing is known for each lock manufacturer. In many

cases a manufacturer will use the same set of depth/space dimensionings for almost every type of original key

they produce. Schlage and Kwikset are prime examples.

Now we have a new upstart company which is combining digital pictures with key dimensioning information to

decode key cuts. Special kiosks have been placed in several cities across the nation. An announcement from

the company states that they have "thousands of kiosks located at major retailers."

This company launched a campaign June 4th in both San Francisco and New York complete with advertising

on public transportation and in the media. The campaign is designed "to make people more aware that they

never have to go out of their way to make keys again…."

Customers can use the kiosks to take a picture of their operating key. Special software is then used to read the

key image using known depth and space dimensions to determine customer key cuts and digitally store the

information. If at a future time the customer loses their key or requires a duplicate, he or she can visit any kiosk

owned by this company. With proper identification, stored cuts for the customer's key are retrieved and a new

key can be produced at the kiosk.

Locksmiths are described on this upstart company website as persons who "manually trace" keys. This

company claims to make accurate keys to original cut dimensions which can "avoid repeat trips to the

locksmith."

Nothing beats the experience of a locksmith who can look at an owner’s key and determine what must be done

to produce an operable duplicate. We cannot stop customers from trying other sources for key duplication but

in the end the public will always understand that locksmiths are their ultimate choice. Our piece of the pie will

always be the biggest.

TOP INDUSTRY NEWS

What is suited to basic master keying

systems?

Submit your answers to Dora Ryan at

lasa@global.co.za on or before the 1st of September

And that is a wrap folks!

Remember that all the LASA branch AGM’s will be taking place in the next month or so!

Please keep an eye out for the invites!

We will be hosting Locksmith Awards at the branch AGM’s so please submit your

application forms before the AGM’s take place. For more information contact Dora Ryan

at lasa@global.co.za

Thank you to the following people for submitting information for the newsletter:

Greg Khan – Joe Davis Locksmiths

David Miller – The Lockshop

Leanie Louw – Louws Keys

Quintin Brand – Knysna Locksmiths

Suppliers

Grant Dekker – BBL/ KEYTEK – Sponsors of our writer prize and competition (Winners

will be announced in September! )

Ashley Johnstone – ISEO

Until next time!