Sponsored by
Ways to get to grips with the lock smashers
FEARS of a threat to household security posed by a design weakness in millions of door locks have been realised after they were highlighted by Crime File in 2005 .
A police crime prevention expert has revealed that in some Leeds divisions the so-called "mole grips" method of smashing the hugely popular Europrofile cylinder lock is now used in almost a quarter of all break-ins.
The system of using household tools to smash the cylinders where they protrude from the lock is beginning to rival the number of sneak-in burglaries, which already account for a quarter to a half of all domestic raids in some areas.
Now West Yorkshire Police is mounting a campaign to help householders defend their properties from becoming easy targets.
Leaflets carrying information about possible ways of preventing the locks – almost universally fitted to PVCu doors in the UK and abroad – from being breached are being being distributed.
In addition to offering crime prevention solutions, the leaflets contain contact details of firms and organisations able to supply products which can protect or strengthen such vulnerable locks at a discounted rate and in some cases at no cost.
Det Insp Duncan MacNay, West Yorkshire Police crime reduction officer, said: "Despite a significant reduction in the number of burglaries in the force in recent years, we have been aware that this particular method of entry has increased significantly in some areas."
Millions of homes in the UK are at risk because of this design weakness.
Burglars have increasingly been gaining entry in the last two years by forcing this type of lock, said Det Insp MacNay.
"In addition to targeting offenders, deploying specialist teams and increasing patrols, we saw value in producing a leaflet to both raise public awareness and offer practical alternatives at a modest cost which virtually eliminate the chance of becoming a victim of this type of burglary," he said.
The leaflets are being delivered across West Yorkshire and show three different ways which you can use to strengthen your lock – simple replacement of a poor quality existing lock, using a reinforced handle, or an internal ‘portcullis’ device.
Race
In March 2005, Crime File revealed that burglars were using locking pliers to grip the Europrofile lock barrels to twist and smash them from their fixing and gain entry.
We reported that a race was going on between lock makers to produce alternative or upgraded systems to foil the raiders.
One leading manufacturer said it had a replacement cylinder it hoped to market later that year.
At that time a security expert warned: “There is not going to be just one ‘fix all’ solution.”
A huge proportion of British homes have at least one Europrofile cylinder lock.
West Yorkshire Police has been a leading force in urging the lock industry to develop an upgraded mechanism to prevent thieves from foiling the locks.
Versions of the Europrofile design are produced under licence by most of the leading lock manufacturers, including prestigious makers such as the Assa Abloy group which includes the Yale, Chubb and Union ranges.
Many of the locks operate security systems such as hook-locks and dead bolts which have helped to cut burglaries.
Limits
In 2005 a spokesman for Yale, Chubb and Union said the only way to completely stop such cylinders being smashed would be to make them of titanium – one of the hardest known metals – but because of the cost implications that was never going to happen.
But a sister company had been working on a new cylinder which was designed to still snap cleanly when attacked, but to remain within the lock to prevent the door being opened, said the spokesman.
Other companies were believed to be working on beefing-up the handle faceplates of their locks to prevent the cylinder being attacked and damaged, though such protection may have its limits.
The Association of Chief Police Officers was believed to be involved in the process of trying to overcome the flaw in the lock design.
l For more information contact: Community Action Support Against Crime (CASAC,) Resource Centre, 233–237 Roundhay Road, Leeds; tel 0113 3805641, e-mail: mail@casacleeds.org.uk; website: www.casac.org.uk.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Leeds
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 8 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: East
