My Ex used to be a locksmith. How can I keep him from entering my house?

Question

My ex keeps making new keys to my house even when I change the locks all it does is slow him down a bit.
One time I was even on the other side of the door looking at him through the peephole while he used a key to unlock my top lock.
He couldnt get in because I had just changed the bottem lock.
I called the police but they wont do anything unless he gets in and steals or kills someone.
I just want to know if there is some special lock he couldnt get through or something else I could do to keep him out of my home for good.

I should have mentioned that I live in Kansas where the stalking laws are very backwards.
I have looked into a restraining order but I cant get one unless he threatens to kill me or actually attempts to.
He does not attempt to come into the house when he knows people are home.
The day he used a key with me looking on from the other side of the door my car was in the shop so he thought I wasn't home.
Right now I'm on vacation. I have gotten phone calls from a neighbor who has my house while I'm gone that the top lock keeps being found open even though he locks it every day when he puts my mail in the house.
The bottem lock was changed before I left so the EX cant get in for now.
Its just a matter of time though and I'm sick of always dealing with this.

Answer 1

other than noel edmonds & cannondalerick you' all are idiots! she is dealing with nothing! she told you that the police will do nothing,which would be where the restraining order would hypothedically, come from. she is obviousily not rich,(married to an ex-locksmith),so all these high tech servalences and thumb pad interies are probly not an option.and i have no idea how some one could possibly think how it could be illigal for a person to posses "locksmith tools" please. do a search.
please take noel's key advice, which i can't believe i never thaught of. post a note on the door letting him know that you are in fear of him. viset spytech. they have really inexpensive cameras that will wire into your, or your neighbors v.c.r./ d.v.d. for recording or servalence. for under $175.00. then when he has to break the door down,cuz he can't get the key pushed out, you will have it recorded in order to show proof to your nieghborhoods finest. then in the event that you are home, the smith and wesson works great for self defence.
oh..please take a gun safety course before shootin the ***-hole...ya don't wanna miss.

Answer 2

Things like this just infuriate me. I cannot believe the police won't do anything to him. Did you try and get a restraining order against him? If he doesn't live there he is breaking and entering, what do the police say about that? A person cannot just walk in someone's house that is locked.

He can lose his license over this. I would tell him I was going to report him for abusing his license.

Is your attorney aware of this? I can't believe the police are just sitting on this. How many people have been killed because the damn cops don't want to get involved in a domestic situation until you are dead? I wouldn't be able to sleep at night.

I just noticed you said your ex USED to be a locksmith. Legally he should not have his tools. He could go in any house, building, whatever and there would be no forced entry. NOW, don't tell me they can't get him on that? That is scary to think that a locksmith can keep the tools to break into someone's place.

There is something wrong here some where. The police cannot sit and say they can't do anything when this guy is walking in your home whenever he feels like it. What if you are not home and he gets in and hides until you get home? Then rapes you or something worse? This is too insane. Then the cops say, "If we had only known how serious it really was......................"

Answer 3

A chain lock? The kind that you attatch to the wall, then there is a part that goes on the door- you close it with a chain. This can be done from the inside only- so it would only help when you are home.

Other than that- get a security system. You can set it whether you are home or not. If you are not home, the alarm will sound, the security company will send the cops out, then he'll be in trouble for breaking and entering. If you are home, most securty companies call the house first and you can just tell them that someone is trying to break in- the cops will be sent out.

Get a restraining order on him. Then he will get in trouble for being anywhere near you and your house. Don't mess around- he sounds like a freak.

Answer 4

Chain locks will not help and be circumvented by brute force alone (no brains needed). I would invest in a lock that physically blocks the door without using the key. This fits in the floor and then locks in door. You can get a lock with a code, instead of a key. These can't be picked.

The truth is that anyone can get in your house if they are hell bent enough. Whether or not they're a locksmith or not. I'm in apartment maintenance and can get into a locked unit faster than picking a lock; which is not all it's cracked up to be. Above all, be safe and don't try and reason with this guy, just get away. Hope this helps, but stalkers are scumbags.

Answer 5

I would definitely try a restraining order first. I have also seen door locks and other items that work on biometrics. You basicaly put your finger against a plate or scanner and the door will open only if the person's information is on record. Of course this is still newer technology so some of this stuff can be expensive.

A quick fix would probably be something like a dead bolt or door chain without too much slack or even a combination of both. That all depends on how far you want to go.

Answer 6

I would start with motion detector lights outside, and also home depot has a "driveway alarm" you can set it up any where it runs on batteries and when it senses motion day or night it sounds an alarm or turns on an electric device or both. to give the impression someone is home, or at least give you the knowledge that he is on your property so you can call the police. And this should go without saying, but get a restraining order. there is also a thing called a new york lock, look into it

Answer 7

I'm not sure of the name and they are tacky but very effective. It has two plates one that bolts to the door about halfway up, and one that bolts onto or into the floor. Then there is a steel rod that fits into those two plates, and will not allow the door to open more than an inch. but all you have to do is lift out the rod and the door works.

Do not use the chain lock or hook and loop lock. They can be pushed open w/ minimal effort and they will tear the door jamb off.

And get a protective order through the courts

Answer 8

1) restraining order immediately
2) change locks to electronic with at least 8 number sequence to enter...he will not get through that one.
3) No lock can keep someone who is determined to enter from coming in. Get motion detectors hooked to an alarm company...IF he comes in, the alarm company will call both you and the police. Notify the police that NO ONE is allowed in your home. IF he breaks in, he will try to tell police he lives there...make sure they know he does not. And, if he enters while that restraining order is in place, it is off to jail for him. Good luck

Answer 9

1. restraining order
2. Alarm
3. Electrical locks
4. Keypad locks

Answer 10

Get a restraining order through the courts. Let them know that he knows the trade of locksmith and that you fear him.
Or get an ADT system set it and when he breaks and sets it off the police will come. Then file breaking and entering charges and ask for a restraining order.