Pop-A-Lock, the largest security network in North America, today announced moves to help protect Canadian consumers from being “flim-flammed” by unscrupulous or inept suppliers of vehicle keys, said its President.

The Company said it is beginning a “push” to raise awareness, a move designed to protect Canadian car owners from making harmful choices in vehicle replacement keys. Company officials said, “One key part of the program is educating consumers in how to choose a qualified locksmith—and in some provinces, a licensed locksmith— to do the work.”

“Pop-A-Lock has earned its reputation as Canada’s Trusted Team of Locksmiths, by working in locales throughout the nation, to inform consumers of pitfalls to avoid,” says President and CEO, Pete Crouse. “We have done it right, consistently but slowly building the trust needed to be able to help educate potential victims, beforehand.

The objective is to inform a significant share of the owners of the more than 23 million registered cars in Canada. Crouse states the initiative will reach a growing number of owners with important knowledge from Pop-A-Lock.

Crouse wants Canadians to learn to be as safe as possible in avoiding these threats: “We realize the importance of providing consumers and businesses with the right products and trained professional locksmiths, when dealing with today’s complex vehicle keys.”

An alarming number of vehicles have either one remote or no key at all. Recently “CBC Marketplace” recognized the importance of the issue, featuring the brand on an episode of “CBC Marketplace.”

In the CBC program, Crouse says a review of what to do and how to do it, to be safe, is still available. The show focused on a potential issue around high tech vehicle theft, specifically calling attention to criminals and devices that can capture car key frequencies from their keyless entry fobs.

To view the CBC segment, please visit:

http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/episodes/2015-2016/car-theft

In additional to work done on homes and businesses, Pop-A-Lock is a mobile service. Pop-a-Lock’s reputation for dependability, says Crouse, may be the reason CAA has hired Pop-A-Lock to represent it in a variety of markets across Canada to service their members.

The vehicle key market changed in Canada in 2007, when all new cars sold in the Country had immobilisers installed to increase vehicle security. But key making can still be problematic.

Crouse states, “Our role in the CBC episode was to illustrate that everyone should first call a reputable and trusted locksmith, when confronted with key and lock problems. Very few locksmiths have the ability to deal in this area of electronic car keys.”

Pop-A-Lock is a North American network of trained, background checked and professional technicians, providing a range of locksmithing services every day. The Company has saved over 350,000 children locked in cars over the past 20 years in North America.

Pop-A-Lock recommends the following steps when considering a new or replacement key for your vehicle:

1) Ensure you have two keys/remotes for your car. Pop-A-Lock calls that “key” insurance. “Customers do not want to be scrambling if they lose an only key.”

2) Call a trusted locksmith like Pop-A-Lock. “We are trained and approved to work on any vehicle.”

3) Often Pop-A-Lock can save hundreds of dollars in towing charges, and will arrange to come to the customer.

4) Do not purchase a replacement key on random e-commerce sites. In most cases, these keys have been rebuilt and are not 100% guaranteed to work.

For more information or to order a duplicate car key, consumers can visit: http://store.popalock.ca. Follow Pop-A-Lock Canada on Facebook and Twitter @PopalockCanada.

For inquiries about franchise ownership, the Company may be contacted by email: petecrouse at popalock.ca.

About Pop-A-Lock

Pop-A-Lock™ is the most trusted team of security professionals in the nation. It was founded in 1991, in Lafayette, Louisiana, U.S.A., by two law enforcement officials, who recognized the need for security services in their area. Since then, the Company has grown to serve 9,000 communities throughout the U.S. and Canada.

All Pop-A-Lock technicians are trained in the latest technology and have cleared background and drug tests. Look for our technicians in their easy to identify orange and black uniforms and vehicles. http://www.popalock.com/