LASN's global reach

We do try not to be overly obsessed with ourselves here at the Locks and Security media group - but occasionally we like to share some of our successes with you.

This recent screen shot of reader activity shows the locations all around the world where the last 1000 readers came from.

Although to be expected, the bulk of readers are UK-based, the global reach now available through the Internet is well established. So if you send us a press release or maybe take an ad you might find your next enquiry comes from somewhere quite unexpected!
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Lock up your safes!

Having a nice strong safe with sturdy locks is not much help if someone can just wheel the whole thing out the door of your apartment.

Such a brazen act of criminality was performed, and captured on video in a building in New York recently, as this report from the New York Times shows.

MMArena at LeMans says Milestone video is simply spellbinding

XProtect Corporate software from Milestone Systems is managing the video surveillance system of the new stadium at Le Mans, connected to Sony HD cameras
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American-born locksmith trapped in Russia for 77 years suddenly speaks English again after stroke

An American man trapped in the Soviet Union 77 years ago - deep in Stalinist times - has suddenly reverted to speaking in his native English instead of the Russian he was forced to learn to survive his epic Communist ordeal.

Kenneth Edwards, now 95, recently suffered a stroke which left him unable to communicate with his Russian family and children.

'I am having to learn Russian all over again,' he said in a halting American accent in Zlatoust, an industrial Ural Mountains outpost where he worked in a watch-making factory for 60 years, latterly as the locksmith to the head of his department.

Thief caught after stolen laptop keeps taking his picture

Police in Oakland, California, USA, have arrested a suspected laptop thief whose slack-jawed face became an Internet sensation after software that the owner had installed kept taking photos of the suspect, which the victim posted on his blog.

Muthanna Aldebashi of Alameda was arrested on suspicion of possessing stolen goods. The 27-year-old taxi driver is being held in Alameda County jail.

A web campaign to catch the alleged thief was launched by laptop owner Joshua Kaufman, who filed a police report in late March stating that someone had broken into his North Oakland apartment and stolen his Apple MacBook computer.

Kaufman said he had installed software called Hidden that followed the computer's movements through a tracking device, and took pictures of the suspect's face while the man used the laptop.

Locksmith's donation helps with local security

Street wardens in Bicester have a new weapon in the fight against thieves after Langford Locks donated a new Storenet radio. The £365 radio will allow Cherwell District Council's street wardens to keep track of any suspected criminals spotted in the area.

Street wardens are a sort of mobile neighbourhood watch whose job is to help reduce the fear of crime and improve the quality of life for residents, businesses and visitors to the local area.
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Locks snapped in 6 out of 7 burglaries in Leeds

Information from West Yorkshire Police shows that lock snapping is now one of the most popular methods of forced entry. In an area of Leeds, in one week in May there were seven burglaries within close proximity to one another. In six of these incidents access was gained by snapping the Euro profile lock using mole grips or similar tools.
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RECRUITMENT: AREA SALES MANAGER x 2

Citysafe Wholesale Limited

Location: London & Surrounding Areas (Kent, Surry) AND North East (Newcastle, Leeds, Nottingham triangle)

Package: Attractive salary, bonus, company car, laptop, blackberry & all the benefits associated with being part of a highly flexible, forward thinking Company. 

How would you like to join one of Europe's largest independent distributors of security products? 

Citysafe have been providing excellent service to locksmiths, architectural ironmongers and builders merchants for over 25 years and now, as part of the Dutch based Nauta Group B.V., are proud to be a part of one of  Europe's leading family owned security companies with a turnover in excess of €60m.  
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Locksmiths' Qualifications & Apprenticeships Survey

Skills for Security is asking employers within the Locksmithing sector to take part in a short survey on current and future provision for qualifications and apprenticeships. This research project was identified by the Locksmiths Advisory Working Group as an essential part of the qualification development work currently under way.

Every employer's opinion is important and you are all welcome to take part - whether you are a sole trader, a small/medium sized business or a large, national organisation.
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Master Lock Co brings the work back home

Master Lock Co's 90-year-old factory in Milwaukee, USA, is working seven days a week, three shifts per day producing its combination locks - a change from two years ago, when the machines normally ran just a few hours a day because it was ordering more padlocks from suppliers in China instead of making them itself.

Why the change?

"I can manufacture combination locks in Milwaukee for less of a cost than I can in China," says Bob Rice, a senior vice president.

The machine in Milwaukee is about 30 times faster then the Chinese factories the company had been buying from, more than making up for the difference in wages.
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Future electronic auto security threats

Vehicle technology continues to evolve at a rapid rate; vehicles that can sense their surroundings,that can avoid accidents, that can communicate with the outside world and even with other vehicles on the road are all becoming more commonplace. The industry in general agrees that this is the way of the future, but could it be possible that in striving for this more convenient, connected world, vehicle manufacturers could also be creating the next loopholes for criminals to exploit?

Even within dedicated security systems such as immobilisers, much of what is being implemented by manufacturers has already been compromised by criminals. Outside of the automotive environment, computer hackers are capable of defeating the multi-layered defences of major blue-chip corporations such as Sony. As ve
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Milestone Systems opens new UK office

Milestone Systems, the open platform company in IP video management software (VMS), has opened a new UK office complete with large demonstration area and training room in Derby in the Midlands. It has also doubled its UK team to six in the last few months and expects to boost this number again before the end of 2011.

Milestone Systems' UK and Ireland Country Manager, Glenn Fletcher, explains the new UK appointments: "Peter Currie joined as regional sales manager covering the south of England including London while Andy Start was recruited as regional sales manager for the central belt of the UK taking in the Midlands, East Anglia, right across to Oxford. Additionally Edward Cutts recently joined as dedicated UK post-sales support manager."
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Lone worker protection as a service

Social care employees of the London Borough of Enfield can now go about their work safe in the knowledge that help is close at hand should they find themselves at risk.

Enfield Council has invested in 100 Romad RSP-100 lone worker protection devices manufactured by Brentwood based Geonovo Ltd, to provide protection for staff who work within various sections of the Borough's social care department. Thirteen of the RSP-100s have already been successfully deployed within the children's sector with the remaining units to be issued to staff in other sections in the near future, following completion of a training programme.
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Locked out

The Napier Museum, one of the 'must sees' for any visitor to the Indian state capital city of Kerala, was closed for two days due to the door key jamming in the lock. After several locksmiths tackled the problem the museum finally opened after the offending key was reground.

No ordinary key though, according to Museum officials. "It's a complicated key, and opening the door with it involves a very complicated process," said Museum superintendent Manjula. "You have to twist it four times in the lock and in four separate directions before the door is opened."
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Newsdesk News

If you would like Locks and Security News to feature your product information, case studies, or company news, just email as above. Ideally a Word doc + jpeg images. Remember, we can take copy up to 5pm on any Tuesday for Wednesday transmission.

Want a link from Locks and Security News to your web site? Just ask for details.

The views or claims expressed by contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy, the publisher accepts no liability for errors in this publication.

John Austen
Publishing Director
Tel:07766 707 888