One of The Key Safe Company’s maximum-security key safes proved impenetrable at Europe’s largest locksmith exhibition, the organisation says.

The Key Safe Company invited locksmiths and industry experts at The Master Locksmiths Association (MLA) Expo to take on a lock-picking challenge, with the opportunity to win the cash inside.

They were each given five minutes to pick the company’s ark Tamo key safe, but not one of the 73 master locksmiths who participated was able to pull off the feat.

It is widely reported that some key boxes on the market can be easily breached, not just by brute force attacks, but also by stealth picking attempts.

This is something David Ogden, Founder and Chief Executive of The Key Safe Company, felt strongly about when he developed the ark Tamo.

He said: “We wanted to prove that a mechanical key safe could truly deliver maximum security without compromising on usability.

“Too many products on the market claim to be ‘secure’ but fall short when faced with a real-world attack.

“Our mission was to set a new benchmark to develop a product which locksmiths, security professionals and the general public could trust to provide protection.

“When we designed the ark Tamo range, we approached it from the perspective of not only the end users’ convenience, but also as an attacker seeking weak points.

“Therefore, every mechanism, every material and every tolerance was tested and refined to resist manipulation.

“Seeing so many skilled professionals attempt to breach the ark Tamo at the Expo, with no success, was a fantastic validation of our engineering and our commitment to innovation.”

Key safe security

The ark Tamo features patented, multi-push technology that allows the same button to be used up to four times in one passcode.

This enables up to 9.7 million different passcode combinations. An advanced anti-pick mechanism is also included, divorcing the dial from the buttons to prevent known picking techniques.

Ogden added: “Seventy–three trained locksmiths attempted to pick the Tamo, via the picking challenge on our stand, and there was not a single successful pick all weekend!

“We offered a five-minute period to pick the key safe, based on competitor key boxes being breached online in less than one minute.

“The feedback from locksmiths and industry experts was really positive – proven by the hundreds of key safes sold – and we had great engagement around our ark Tamo and ark Tamo Pro products.”

The Key Safe Company led two ‘training seminars’, titled Not All Key Safes are Equal, during the Expo at Telford International Centre.

The sessions were designed to raise awareness within the industry of exactly what should be classified as ‘safe’ and to highlight the features of the ark Tamo range.

“Day One of our training sessions was completely full, with no seats left, which was great for our team and we secured fantastic feedback,” added Ogden.

“Our new Tamo display showing the interior mechanisms drew a lot of attention, with locksmiths fascinated by the detail, while the extreme attack testing videos created a real buzz at our stand.

“Overall, the show exceeded our expectations. It’s clear that locksmiths really appreciate the precision and engineering behind the ark Tamo range and there’s great potential to continue building our presence in the industry.”

The ark Tamo is designed in-house at The Key Safe Company, based in Worcester, UK, and has been endorsed by Secured by Design, the official UK Police security initiative that certifies products proven to reduce crime.