Is Your Storage Unit’s Lock Cutting It?

Are you keeping your stored items secure? You might think the safety measures your storage facility takes are enough, but if you invest in the right lock, you're taking an added security measure into your own hands. Some mini storage facilities provide renters with locks, but most of the time, if you own a storage unit, you have to provide your own lock. Though most storage facilities have many safety measures in place – fencing, limited access, cameras and on-site managers – storage facilities, like any other business, are still at risk for break-ins. If you're storing items to keep them safe, the lock you buy can make a huge difference in whether your stuff does stay safe. This article in the Abilene Reporter-News points out that storage unit burglaries in the Abilene area have increased in December. The Abilene Police Department recommends one safety measure that could make the difference between thieves getting into your unit and not even bothering: a disc lock. Unlike traditional padlocks, where the u-shaped bar leaves a lot of room for thieves to attempt entry with bolt cutters, the bars on disc locks take up very little room. The rest is covered by the lock's housing, which is solid metal and much harder to get past. In Abilene, Sitzes Self-Storage manager Lonnie Wright points out to his tenants that the investment in a disc lock is worthwhile. "I always insist it's going to be their lock, and it's up to them to spend a little extra money," he said. "We leave it up to them. Every single time, we've found a cheap padlock does not have the same effect as a disc lock." On Amazon, disc locks cost slightly more ($10 on average) than small padlocks ($6), and about the same as more substantial padlocks.  A quick search on Ace Hardware's website shows standard padlocks ranging anywhere from $7-$15, and a disc lock for $16. The investment of a few dollars more is absolutely worth it if you're storing hundreds or thousands of dollars' worth of valuables in your storage unit.