--- title: "Scratches Round the Cylinder: Has Someone Tried Your Lock?" description: "Fresh bright scratches at the keyway, a cylinder that sits proud, a key that suddenly drags. What each sign may mean, and what to do the same day." url: "https://locksmithaspe.es/blog/signs-someone-tried-your-lock/" business: "Locksmith Aspe" --- # Scratches round the cylinder: has someone tried your lock? Fresh bright scratches at the keyway, a cylinder that sits proud, a key that suddenly drags. What each sign can mean, and what to do the same day. 16 October 2026 · 5 min read Most attempts on a front door leave marks, even when they fail. Knowing what those marks look like helps you decide whether to worry, and what to do next. ## Signs worth a second look **Fresh, bright scratches round the keyway.** Every lock collects small scratches from keys over the years; those are dull and centred on the slot. New marks are shiny, may run in odd directions, and can extend onto the face of the cylinder or the plate. **A cylinder that sits proud or has moved.** If the cylinder now sticks out further than it did, or turns slightly in the door, someone may have tried to grip and snap it. **Dents or tool marks at the edge of the door.** Marks near the latch or the strike plate on the frame suggest someone tried to lever the door open. **A key that suddenly feels different.** A cylinder that has been attacked may become rough or stiff overnight. Wear happens slowly; sudden change is the warning. **Damage to a padlock or hasp** on a gate, a store or the outbuildings of a finca. ## What to do the same day 1. **Do not clean or touch the marks.** Photograph them close up and from a distance. 2. **Check the other ways in**: back door, windows, balcony, garage. 3. **If you think someone got in**, or the lock no longer works properly, report it to the police and keep the photos for your insurer. 4. **Have the lock looked at.** A cylinder that has been attacked may still work today and fail tomorrow. An anti-snap cylinder and a guard plate are the usual next step. ## When it is probably nothing A single fine scratch on an old cylinder, with a key that works as it always has, is most likely just years of keys. If you are not sure, a photo sent on WhatsApp can settle it. Planning to be away? The routine in [locking up before the August fiestas](https://locksmithaspe.es/blog/away-for-the-august-fiestas-locking-up/) works for any long absence. And if you decide to change the cylinder anyway, [measure it first](https://locksmithaspe.es/blog/how-to-measure-a-euro-cylinder/). Think someone has tried the door? Forced or tampered doors made secure, then stronger cylinders and guard plates if you want them. [Burglary repair in Aspe, after the door has been forced](https://locksmithaspe.es/burglary-repair-aspe/) Two more guides - [Away during the August fiestas: locking up before the Traída](https://locksmithaspe.es/blog/away-for-the-august-fiestas-locking-up/) · 4 min read - [How to measure a euro cylinder before a lock change](https://locksmithaspe.es/blog/how-to-measure-a-euro-cylinder/) · 4 min read - [Every guide for Aspe and around](https://locksmithaspe.es/blog/) ## Would a quick call settle it? Call and describe the door, or WhatsApp a photo of the lock with a location pin. Open 24 hours · 7 days [+34 678 583 290](tel:+34678583290) [WhatsApp](https://wa.me/34678583290?text=Hi%2C%20I%20need%20a%20locksmith%20in%20Aspe.%20Where%20I%20am%20(street%2C%20or%20the%20urbanisation%20or%20finca)%20and%20what%20has%20happened%3A)