Half-way through the Cancer Champions fifth birthday celebration month.
22nd September 2023East Riding Domestic Abuse and Mental Health Support
22nd September 2023How to prevent Lock Snapping
Lock Snapping is a common method used by burglars to gain entry through a locked door that has a euro cylinder lock. If you have a UPVC door at your property, this will most likely have a euro cylinder as part of the lock. Gaining entry via this method is a prime example of a criminal exploiting a vulnerability.
How do they do it?
It takes around 5 to 10 seconds to snap a lock, and it makes very little noise.
No specialist tools are required, normally just a pair of mole grips or pliers.
The burglar will need to have a section of the cylinder to grip on to. So, they may break off the door handle that surrounds it. Once they have access to the cylinder, they can grip it. Only with a small amount of force, the cylinder will break in the middle, and can be removed from the door.
The burglar can then manipulate the locking mechanism with a screwdriver and the door can be opened.
How to prevent lock snapping
First check the cylinder in your door, to ensure that it is fitted correctly. The cylinder shouldn’t protrude more than 3mm from the handle.
The cylinders that are tested against lock snapping, will have a diamond shape on them for the Sold Secure Diamond Standard, and or 3 stars for the 3-star kitemark.
Cylinders that are tested to these standards are designed not to snap as other cylinders do. This makes it very difficult for the locking mechanism to be manipulated and the door opened.
These cylinders, if fitted correctly will stop most burglars using basic tools, from gaining entry. The cylinders will cause them to make more noise, increasing the chance that they will be seen or heard.
If a 3 star/diamond cylinder isn’t used, you could consider a 2 star handle that will provide increased protection to a 1 or 2 star cylinder, as long as the cylinder is fitted correctly.
If you are concerned about the current standard of your locks and cylinders, more information can be found on the website for the Master Locksmiths Association (MLA)
If you’re interested in seeing how quickly locks can be snapped, there’s videos on the internet that you can view. Just put ‘lock snapping video’ into the search engine, I guarantee you will be surprised how quickly it can be done.
Further crime prevention information can be found here.