National Home Security Month

Anti-Snap locks

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We are unfortunately seeing a rapid increase in burglaries utilising lock snapping to gain entry to properties in the Skelmersdale and Ormskirk area.

What is lock snapping?

Lock snapping or cylinder snapping is a well known burglary technique for gaining entry quickly and without the use of specialist tools. Lock snapping involves physically breaking the cylinder out of the door which then allows the attacker to manipulate the locking mechanism to open the door. The whole attack will take less than a minute, creates very little noise and the burglars do not seem to be concerned if the property is occupied or not. What was once a problem mainly in Yorkshire has now definitely spread to the Skelmersdale and Ormskirk areas as we are sometimes dealing with the aftermath of several break-ins per day.

Are my locks vulnerable to lock snapping?

Lock snapping is an attack against a particular type of lock known as a euro cylinder. This type of lock is found in most UPVc and composite doors as well as in some wooden and aluminium framed doors in both domestic and commercial properties. If you have standard euro cylinders on your property then these are vulnerable and you should consider upgrading to anti-snap locks.

How can I prevent lock snapping?

The good news is that prevention is very simple, lock manufacturers have begun addressing the security weakness of their products in various ways with some performing better than others. So with such a wide variety of locks and standards available how do you choose a lock that will prevent lock snapping? We recommended ensuring that your cylinders meet Sold Secure SS312 Diamond standard which means they have been independently tested to the highest level of approval for a lock cylinder.

We stock a comprehensive range of SS312 Diamond standard anti-snap locks and would be happy to discuss your requirements or answer any questions you have about securing your property.