Cairns locksmith encouraging residents to deadlock bedroom doors

Fear of invasion among Cairns residents is at a high as a locksmith reveals the desperate measure locals are undertaking to protect themselves in their own homes.

Fear of invasion among Cairns residents is at a high as a locksmith reveals the desperate measure locals are undertaking to protect themselves, in their own homes.

Cairns Locksmiths’ owner Jack Marino has been servicing the region as an owner-operator since 2020 and said the style of break-ins had evolved over that time.

Mr Marino said the increase of deadlocks on front doors of Cairns homes had increased over the last five years, forcing crims to change their way of operating and motive.

“Before everyone started getting deadlocks, they could crunch the door knob, get in quietly, nick the car keys and be gone,” he said.

“It was quiet, all they wanted was keys and they’d be gone.

“So then everyone started installing deadlocks so it started being daytime break-ins through sliding windows and doors which makes a lot of noise and now it’s a lot more operational and malicious.”

A deadlock, or deadbolt, installed onto a bedroom door inside a Cairns home. Picture: Brendan Radke

Mr Marino said the changing nature of invasions was forcing residents to now install deadlocks on their bedroom doors, so that they could lock themselves in their own home.

“For some of them, they’re waking up and the crims are walking past in the hallways.

“I had a call from a sister – a lady was broken in to, her sister rang and said they held her in the bedroom, whilst they ravaged through the house.

“One person stood at her doorway – he didn’t go towards her because she had a dog in her room which would lunge, so he just stood there with a light in her face while two other people flipped it upside down looking valuables.

“Now as time has gone on, they’re doing it for cash, jewellery, valuables. It’s making people retreat in their own homes.”

Director of Cairns Locksmiths Jack Marino has been installing more deadlocks to internal doors, following an increase in brazen home break and enters that become violent in nature. Picture: Brendan Radke

Mr Marino said prior to 2020, he would receive a call out to replace locks following a break-in, “once in a blue moon,” whereas now it was “without fail” about two to three times on a weekend and three times during a week.

“And that’s just me, that’s not the jobs all the other locksmiths are getting.

“But generally when one house gets hit, neighbours in the street, family friends all book in and I’m now pushing for deadlocks on bedroom doors.”

Mr Marino said he would love for a “variety of work” but most of his call-outs were now responding to break-ins.

“I can’t feel bad but I do, seeing that I’m making money of the hardship of what people are going through.

“When I take a phone call after a break-in, I’m a therapist before I’m a locksmith.

I usually calm them down, let’s get what they’re trying to explain across; they’re usually in such a shock, flustered.”

Originally published as Cairns locksmith encouraging residents to deadlock bedroom doors