Why You Should Remove Key Safes Immediately

If you have a key safe installed outside your home, it may be putting your entire property at risk.

Key safes are often used for convenience, but in practice they have become one of the first things burglars target. Across Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, they are a common weak point that can lead to full access without any forced entry.

Key Safes Are Easy Targets

Most key safes are installed in predictable locations:

Next to the front door
On exterior walls
Near garages or meter boxes

This makes them easy to locate. Anyone approaching the property knows exactly where to look.

Unlike a lock, which requires time or skill to defeat, a key safe is often a quicker option for access.

No Forced Entry Required

If someone gets into your key safe, they are not breaking in. They are using your key.

This means:

No damage to the door
No loud entry
No immediate signs of a break in

From a security standpoint, this is one of the biggest risks. It removes the barrier your locks are supposed to provide.

Real Case From a 2am Callout

At Locksman, this is not theoretical.

I attended a job at 2am where a key safe had been pried off the wall. CCTV showed the offender going straight to it, removing it, and gaining access within seconds.

Because the keys were inside, the entire property was compromised.

I had to rekey the whole house on the spot:

Front door
Rear entry
Internal access locks

What was meant to be a convenience ended up requiring a full security reset.

Physical Weakness of Key Safes

Many key safes can be:

Levered off the wall
Broken open with basic tools
Removed if not installed into solid material

Even when they appear secure, the mounting point is often the weak link.

Codes Create Ongoing Risk

In many cases:

Codes are simple or reused
Multiple people have access
Codes are not updated regularly

Once a code is shared, control over who can enter the property is lost.

Better Approach to Access

Instead of using a key safe:

Only provide keys directly to trusted individuals
Avoid leaving any form of access outside
Use restricted key systems where duplication is controlled

Removing the key safe removes a known vulnerability.

Final Recommendation

Key safes are no longer a low risk option.

They are visible, predictable, and often targeted first. If one is installed at your property, removing it is one of the simplest ways to improve your security immediately.

Need a Locksmith in Melbourne?

Locksman is a mobile locksmith based in Malvern East, servicing Melbourne’s eastern suburbs including Malvern, Armadale, Glen Iris, Toorak, Hawthorn, Caulfield, Kooyong and South Yarra.

Services include:

Call 0439 891 174 or visit https://locksman.com.au to book.