Misplacing your house keys is a common occurrence, but that doesn’t make it any less frustrating and inconvenient when it happens. Whether your keys were stolen, or you simply can’t for the life of you remember where you last saw or left them, this is what you should do if you’re stuck without your keys:
- Place a call to the police
While it might not seem like an emergency (and therefore doesn’t warrant a 911 call), you should still contact your local police department to report the keys missing, if you believe they’ve been stolen. For insurance claim purposes, a police report is often required, and if someone did steal your keys, they may now be able to gain access to your home.
It may also be that if your purse or wallet was stolen along with your keys, there’s a chance someone might find them and hand them in (and this may even be the case if they were lost), and if the police have a record of the items going missing, they’ll be able to return to you what’s rightfully yours, much quicker.
- Change your locks
Whether your keys are lost or suspected stolen, whoever has them (if indeed, anyone has them), may be able to gain access to your home, and that’s a pretty frightening thought. By having the locks changed by a residential locksmith, however, you can rest assured that if someone stole them with the intention of breaking into your home, they’ll no longer be able to use them to do so.
This might also be a good opportunity to upgrade any locks that might have been old, worn or faulty.
If you’ve got a smart door lock, you’ll just need to change the code on your keypad; it couldn’t be simpler.
- Upgrade your home security
As mentioned above, the loss of a key can prompt some individuals to take a closer look at the locks on their home, and if having them changed to prevent anyone from gaining unlawful access, this is the ideal opportunity to have stronger, high security locks installed. If you’re not sure whether the locks on your home offer you a high enough level of protection, you can simply ask your local locksmith to assess them for you, and recommend any upgrades.
Taking the above steps is made easier if you have the number of your local police department on hand, along with that of a local, emergency locksmith. It always pays to get to know your local locksmith anyway, as you never know when you might need their services, whether in an emergency or otherwise.
So, if you lose your keys – whether misplaced or stolen – there’s no need to panic, simply follow the steps above to ensure that you and your home, are kept protected.
