Staying Safe After a Milwaukee Locksmith Robbery: A Local Perspective

After hearing about another of my fellow locksmiths going to a job only to be robbed at gunpoint and have all of his equipment and inventory stolen, I can't help but reflect on some of my own experiences in my earlier years in the industry. I’ve been in all sorts of situations. Most of the calls I get are from honest people who are looking for an honest locksmith. But every once in a while, it’s something different. Mine is a career where I could unintentionally put my life on the line if I’m not paying attention to red flags. Usually if my gut tells me this is one of “those” kinds of calls, I refuse the job- it’s not worth risking my life and my family’s well-being in hopes of my gut being wrong. 

I’ll tell you about one time, for instance, that I unlocked a gentleman’s car and then he flat out told me, “I'M NOT PAYING!” (No, he didn’t mention that when he called and I quoted him a price.) Not much to that story… He paid cash as I gave him a count down and took my phone out to call the police. Unless I’m in immediate danger, I prefer to let the police handle it. 

Or another time where a pair of gentlemen called and said they were locked out of their house. When I arrived at the house, I requested their IDs as I always do… anything to prove that this is your address where you live. Unfortunately, they told me, their wallets were also in the house. This usually isn’t a problem; it really does happen, you can show me after I let you in. However in this case, as I ran my shim through the door, I noticed that the deadbolt was locked. Now, you can’t lock the deadbolt from the outside unless you have a key. I asked again, “You sure you don’t have a key… the keys are inside?” They looked at each other, then back at me and confirmed that yes, the keys were inside. I pretended to not be able to pick the lock then left. If you plan to break in to a house, I’m not the locksmith you want. 

How about the time the guy called me from the bar because he locked his keys in the car? When I got there, he was clearly wasted- he smelled like a bottle. I refused him service. He was really upset about it. But you know what? Each of us has a responsibility in this world to help others, not to just stand by, and to do no harm. Enabling an intoxicated person to drive is no different from pulling a trigger. I don’t want to get paid for that.

These experiences and more have taught me a lot. Even so, stories like this car jacking remind me that my gut is not a crystal ball.

Earlier this year, for my fellow locksmith what should have been a routine car-key reprogramming turned out to be an ambush. Thankfully he wasn't killed; however I can only imagine what it must have been like to watch his business get stolen. Fortunately the perpetrator was caught, and last week he was sentenced:

I’ve worked hard to set up my business. My family and I have made a lot of personal sacrifices and taken a lot of risks, all while working within the confines of the law and trying to offer good customer service. Some people do life differently; thieves will argue that stealing is their job, that they have no better way to survive, that they do it because the world owes them, they don’t want to be part of the system– whatever the excuses. Just understand that when you call me, and I’m asking you questions about your situation, not only am I trying to see how I can help you- I’m also finding out if it’s safe to even show up, because this is real.  

It’s unfortunate that human beings can stoop to being predatory savages, but this type of behavior is as old as humanity itself. And so is innovation, compassion, community and integrity. May his 10 year sentence bring him clarity and self respect. My fellow locksmiths, be safe out there. All the best.