How can you tell if a lock has been tampered with?

There are signs that give it away: scratches or marks around the cylinder, a key that suddenly goes in or turns less easily, a shifted escutcheon or parts that used to be firm and now wobble.

Take a careful look at:

• The keyway of the cylinder, for new scratches or metal shavings.
• The faceplate of the lock and the frame, for pry marks.
• Whether the key goes all the way in and turns as it always has.
• On a shutter, whether the bottom slat is bent or the guide rails have dents.

Some techniques, such as lock bumping, leave hardly any visible mark on the outside. If you are suspicious, even if you cannot see anything obvious, the best thing is to have a locksmith check it by taking the cylinder apart: inside there are usually traces that cannot be seen from outside.

If we confirm tampering, we put it in writing for you. We explain it in forced lock report.