Tips to prevent lock snapping

Advice from Humberside Police:

There has recently been a notable increase in burglaries where entry has been gained to the victim’s house by a method known as ‘lock snapping’

This method involves the lock cylinder being snapped by various means, which then allows the outer part to be removed and access can be gained to the internal locking system of the door. The door can then be unlocked and entry can be gained.

This whole process can be completed very quickly with little or no noise, but there are steps you can take to reduce the risk that you will become a victim of this type of offence.

1) Ensure that the cylinder on your doors are fitted correctly

The cylinder should not extend out away from the door.

2) Fit a TS007 3 star cylinder

A 3 star cylinder has been designed and tested to withstand an attack for a longer time period.

3) Look for a sold secure mark or a 3 star kite mark

These will show that the cylinder has been tested to a high standard.

4) Fit additional security measures to your doors such as a ‘Patlock’ for patio doors or Sash jammers.

5) If you have any concerns in relation to your locks, contact a locksmith from the Master Locksmiths Association (MLA) for advice.

You can purchase a Patlock from our Neighbourhood Network shop here https://www.nnetwork.org.uk/shop/