Have been using an Ocean and Earth lock box .


What do others use ?
Has any one tried the key "bank" and is it more secure ?

Any other ideas appreciated

I put my key under the car besides the wheel. Never had a problem.

You want the second one kind. The first one opens in seconds with a business card (see tutorials on youtube).
Also the second one is usable even if you cannot see the digits (as is the case without my glasses, especially early morning).

I would recommend heavy duty key safes, the one by Kidde (German Qualitat). Thief-proof, and rust-proof. Mine is rust-free even after 3 years. They are highly praised by locksmith sites. Only drawback is that they are quite small, you may have to store a dedicated key in them, cut to fit inside.
www.kidde.com/home-safety/en/us/products/key-security/residential-key-security/key-boxes/001166/

I do not know the quality of the O&E one, but it is bigger than the Kidde, so it should be better for big keys.

I never locked my car before moving to a more known surf place with traveling surfers around that are known to grab what they can access easily (wetsuits, boards) when moving out. They know the key-under-the-car trick, but they wont risk breaking a window unless they can see very tempting things inside (my van has no windows). I kept my key on me in a wetsuit pocket at first but the key safe is more practical, and you can share the key with other people if you did not come alone in your car/van (family, friends...)

I use the Ocean Earth water proof pouch and carry it with me and leave excess keys locked inside the car.

I use this one and it is fantastic. Plus it is not obvious. Leave it on the car permanently, just remove your tow hitch (if you have one) and slide it into place.

I use a key cutter to cut me a cheap key at $10 is cheap.
It can only unlock the door but that's good for me.
Tie a rope around so can put round neck under wetsuit.
Or tie into pocket of board shorts in summer.
My brother told me one of his mates used a padlock on his tow bar.
Locals took the tow bar off

Leave nothing of value in the car, leave it unlocked, if they want the car, good luck to them, it's insured.

I use the ocean & earth one but should have got the other 1 for the same reason as colas says. I also have a wordlock 1 that I got from Bunnings. It has a bigger storage compartment.

Select to expand quote

lam said..
Leave nothing of value in the car, leave it unlocked, if they want the car, good luck to them, it's insured.

It's not insured if it's left unlocked mate

I use the heavy duty push button type, as colas said easier to use If you wear glasses and easier on cold fingers, no probs yet after a few years of use

Select to expand quote

lam said..
Leave nothing of value in the car, leave it unlocked, if they want the car, good luck to them, it's insured.

If you leave car unlocked insurance will not cover you if it's stolen

I got a key cut and wear it around my neck. A while back we had a spate of key locks being broken into and cars stolen, so I switched and wouldn't go back.

Select to expand quote

MarkW81 said..
I got a key cut and wear it around my neck. A while back we had a spate of key locks being broken into and cars stolen, so I switched and wouldn't go back.

Mark this is what i do with older car. Not with car that has electronic key

I use water proof pouch worn around my neck

I believe if they break into the key lock and steal the car, insurance won't pay out as you are deemed to have left your key in the car.That may differ with different insurance companies but it's worth checking what your insurance companys policy is on that.

Select to expand quote

lam said..

micksmith said..

lam said..
Leave nothing of value in the car, leave it unlocked, if they want the car, good luck to them, it's insured.

It's not insured if it's left unlocked mate

How can an insurance company prove your car was unlocked or alternatively how can you prove your car was locked I once it has been stolen?

Don't know but it may mean you're as dishonest as the thief eh

Select to expand quote

micksmith said..

lam said..

micksmith said..

lam said..
Leave nothing of value in the car, leave it unlocked, if they want the car, good luck to them, it's insured.

It's not insured if it's left unlocked mate

How can an insurance company prove your car was unlocked or alternatively how can you prove your car was locked I once it has been stolen?

Don't know but it may mean you're as dishonest as the thief eh

Fair point

Select to expand quote

lam said..

micksmith said..

lam said..

micksmith said..

lam said..
Leave nothing of value in the car, leave it unlocked, if they want the car, good luck to them, it's insured.

It's not insured if it's left unlocked mate

How can an insurance company prove your car was unlocked or alternatively how can you prove your car was locked I once it has been stolen?

Don't know but it may mean you're as dishonest as the thief eh

Fair point

Actually I may have gone too far with that comment, apologies mate.

Have done a bit of scouting on you tube, all the above mentioned locks are able to hacked open quite easily, whether it is push button or dial.

I guess if someone really wants to get into your car they will, I once had a car broken into by them stopping traffic, leaning out of the car and smashing the window, doing a quick scout and then getting back in the car and taking off.

Select to expand quote

Souwester said..
Have done a bit of scouting on you tube, all the above mentioned locks are able to hacked open quite easily, whether it is push button or dial.

Sou'wester that is exactly what i found ....hence the reason I started this topic . I have been using the dial version and hiding under bonnet and keeping spare door lock key around my neck . But people can see you visibly opening the bonnet .

The risk of it getting the electronic key wet is probably high. Probably over $1000 AUD to replace .

However if insurance doesn't cover you if car broken into even though in a lock then $35000 to $40000 lost is hard to handle

Maybe better to stash in the bush . At least if it gets found and car gets stolen it was not secured in / on car. Crazy world we live in

It would be nice to be able to walk to the beach or ride a cheap bike - problem solved!

Select to expand quote

Souwester said..
Have done a bit of scouting on you tube, all the above mentioned locks are able to hacked open quite easily, whether it is push button or dial.

The only ones that seems really thief-proof are the single rotating dial ones with letters, the Kidde specifically.
E.g. www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-lock-box/

I actually bought one at first, but it was totally impossible for me to operate without glasses. I even bought cheap $3 generic prescription glasses that I left close to the lock. So I resorted to the pushbutton version as a compromise. I never saw other locks with pushbuttons here so I bet casual thieves are not familliar with them. And pro thieves will break into anything.

Having a dashcam (with parking mode ) should also be preventative . But some thief's don't seem to care

Select to expand quote

micksmith said..

lam said..

micksmith said..

lam said..

micksmith said..

lam said..
Leave nothing of value in the car, leave it unlocked, if they want the car, good luck to them, it's insured.

It's not insured if it's left unlocked mate

How can an insurance company prove your car was unlocked or alternatively how can you prove your car was locked I once it has been stolen?

Don't know but it may mean you're as dishonest as the thief eh

Fair point

Actually I may have gone too far with that comment, apologies mate.

No probs, as I said fair point.
cheers

Select to expand quote

Souwester said..
It would be nice to be able to walk to the beach or ride a cheap bike - problem solved!

Actually, would it be nice if people respected each other and there was no need for such a issue.

I just checked two insurances : NRMA and GIO and here is what they say

GIO is first one

Note words "in car". So if you attach externally are you covered ?

For NRMA

"reasonable care to secure vehicle " That is open to interpretation . Putting key in a lock seems reasonable to me but maybe not to the NRMA Claims Officer .

As I am with GIO (for now )....I doubt i will be locking key fob in car any longer . Whether you should attach outside based on their wording ....well i won't do.

Actually when I read GIO policy it says :

General Exclusion
"Unattended car
loss of (including theft) or damage to your car if the car is left unattended, unlocked and with the keys left in the car."

They use "and" not "or".

So based on wording you won't be covered if car is:
a. Unattended

b Unlocked
and
c. Keys left in car

If keys left in but it is locked you should theoretically be covered if they break in to find a key . I will give them a call tomorrow

Select to expand quote

Gboots said..

Souwester said..
Have done a bit of scouting on you tube, all the above mentioned locks are able to hacked open quite easily, whether it is push button or dial.

Sou'wester that is exactly what i found ....hence the reason I started this topic . I have been using the dial version and hiding under bonnet and keeping spare door lock key around my neck . But people can see you visibly opening the bonnet .

The risk of it getting the electronic key wet is probably high. Probably over $1000 AUD to replace .

However if insurance doesn't cover you if car broken into even though in a lock then $35000 to $40000 lost is hard to handle

Maybe better to stash in the bush . At least if it gets found and car gets stolen it was not secured in / on car. Crazy world we live in

Gboots, just get a plain key cut, enough to open the door, but without electronics ($10-20). Lock the proper keys in the car and wear the other one around your neck.
Only time I use those vault key locks is when I end up with a hire car.

I do like the look of shi thouse's towbar fitted one.

Just spoke to insurer . Definitely a grey area .
Initially they said not covered .
I explained how surf lock works and options for hiding key under bonnet (car fully locked). They sought a second opinion.
This time they said I would be covered so long as there is "forced entry" . So if car was found and you could prove forced entry you would be covered . But if car not found I reckon they wouldn't cover you (because you wouldn't be able to prove forced entry)

Just wondered if you guys have seen the Lock Picking Lawyer on YouTube he shows how quickly these locks can be broken into

Yep.
Saw them. Too easy