Tag Archives for " stolen master keys "

Card Keys are the Ultimate Solution to Key Loss – A Myth

For years there has been a prevailing myth that card keys are the solution to preventing the serious consequences to losing master keys.  Those who are seasoned property/facility managers know better.  There is always a physical “brass” or “hard”  master key behind every card key to ensure against demagnetization of card keys, power outages and computer failures.  Now there is another threat to card key systems – hacking.

Earlier this year, Finnish security experts discovered a software flaw that allowed them to create a master key card from any hotel key card, even expired ones!

To find out why a surprisingly large number of hotels are sticking with metal keys instead of card keys click here.

The Gravity is the perfect addition for any facilities key control program. View The Gravity’s  fail-proof key control here.

 

Men Pose as Maintenance Workers, Steal Master Keys to Back Bay Building

BOSTON – Two men pretending to be maintenance workers stole a set of master keys and got into a Back Bay apartment building, according to police. The two men, a 59-year-old man from Medford and a 30-year-old man from Cambridge, were arrested at a Commonwealth Avenue apartment building around 10 a.m. Monday. The men were found in the building, according to police. Boston police say the men used a set of stolen master keys to get in while posing as maintenance workers for the building’s management company. Both men have been charged with breaking and entering and possession of burglarious tools. – August 29, 2018

Comment: While this article provides no information on how the thieves obtained the apartment building master keys, we can presume there was either a breach in key control protocols or their key control program was not fully developed.  In order to verify that your key control program is adequate and  master keys are not in jeopardy of being lost or stolen, please refer to Chapter 7 of “The Key to Keys” by Randy Neely which details the Components of a Successful Key Control Program. – Anne Gareis, Director of Operations for Tether Technologies.