Graham Jones, MD of Wakefield-based locksmith training provider MPL, has some tales to tell from his four decades in the industry.
The businessman and former Bradford City Director established MPL in 2006 with courses held within the club’s Valley Parade stadium. They moved operations shortly after and recently opened a state-of-the-art training centre in Wakefield. Over 1000 individuals have qualified as locksmiths through MPL’s range of courses to date with many more topping up their skills set.
Graham recounted: “We keep in close contact with all of the locksmiths who take part in our courses and it’s always good to hear of their stories and experiences.
“Someone we trained got in touch with me to tell me of an interesting job he was asked to do at Leeds railway station.
“A man had become locked in a toilet on a train that had stopped at Leeds. The locksmith in question gained quick access only to find the man in question sat on the toilet smoking a Hamlet cigar!
“Another funny story is from my own career as a locksmith when I was called to an old lady’s house because she’d locked herself in. I gained access and found out she’d been locked in for four days.
“She explained she’d managed to get out of the house by getting on a chair and climbing out of a lounge window.
“I reassured her she wouldn’t need to use that method of exit anymore!” concluded Graham.
