Up With the Burglars this Morning/Replacing Euro-ProfileLock

[nordberg73]

I was awoken this morning at 5AM by the pitter patter of a scum sucking burglar trying to force the lock on my side door. Luckily, for him, I disturbed him when I ran downstairs butt naked looking a bit like David Banner in mixed mode. As my feet touched the downstairs floor, he made off and I got the briefest of glances of him...

Upon inspection, he's managed to snap the lock (and the actual face plate of the door handle right off, but by pure good fortune, he didn't get in. As it stands, the cylinder is obviously broken and I've taken what's left of it out, however the handle still won't open the door. It moves freely upwards, but not downwards. Any ideas?

More importantly, can anyone suggest a suitable (read safer) lock? Problem is, it's a bank holiday weekend and lots of people will be closed....

Untitled

• nordberg73
• 23 Apr 2011
• 1

 

[DC77]

It is interesting that there appears to be little damage to the door its self. I would have expected to see marks on the door where a screwdriver or similar tool had been inserted to lever off the handle.
Have a look at :- http://www.squirelocks.co.uk/html/cylinders_snapsafe.htm
for the type of cylinder that will help prevent this type of attack.
and :-
http://www.squirelocks.co.uk/html/cylinders_enhancer.htm
for a little more protection.
Other snap safe euro cylinders are available.
I do not feel easy in putting an answer on how to now open the door in an open forum.
My advice is contact your local locksmith shop, they will be able to give good advice and supply you with your new handles and a new snap safe cylinder of the correct size.
DC
Teamlocksmiths.

 

[JohnD]

I've never been keen on Eurocylinders for an external door. I wonder if the ERA lever-lock replacement multipoint would be more secure? Certainly to that kind of attack.

I am a householder not a pro.

p.s. forgot to say...

call your insurance company, they will have an on-call service even though it is holiday weekend. And will also cover the cost. Win all round!

 

[nordberg73]

Thank...

Didn't involve the insurance as I have a £150 excess in any case + the stitch up next year when I renew...

I went to my local locksmiths and ended up with a Hoppe "Secured By Design" handle and a Multi-lock snap proof lock. Took me 10 mins to fit and it's all sorted now (I managed to work out how to open the door without a key!)....

Going to now crack on with the alarm I started fitting 6mths ago!

 

[crank39]

Going to now crack on with the alarm I started fitting 6mths ago!

Get a dog.......a big one!

Seriously, a dog would of heard that burglar long before he was even on your property, my 2 year old GSD is my early warning system, soft as grease really but they don't know that when theres slobber all over the patio door or front window

 

[Alarm]

I`m not going to say what he probably used, but thats why there were no screwdriver marks as mentions in another reply.

A few options to overcome this.

A cylinder ( thats what was damaged, not the lock), that has a breaking point manufactured into it, so if broken the lock cannot be operated from outside.

A cylinder flush with the door and not the door furniture.

Special clamp plates to combat the above.

Your NEW cylinder will prevent the attack you have suffered from being successful.

 

[nordberg73]

Sadly, after spending 10 min on Youtube, I now have the knowledge of how to circumvent 9 out of 10 uPVC door locks.....easily. I dare say I could make a better job of it than the barsteward who tried mine on Saturday morning......

 

[JohnD]

you'll be thinking about changing to a proper door and lock, then?

 

[nordberg73]

you'll be thinking about changing to a proper door and lock, then?

It's on the list...but then so is 300 other jobs that require significant investment....

I presume you mean a wooden door and and a mortice lock??

 

[JohnD]

yip.

 

[steveb1964]

you'll be thinking about changing to a proper door and lock, then?

Any recommendations of what to go for. We're getting builing work done soon and will be replacing our front and back doors which are upvc at the minute

Thanks

 

[JohnD]

A panelled hardwood door is my favourite. Some of the part-glazed doors like this one (called "Alicante") just visible in my pic, have such thick timber round the glass that you couldn't climb through even if you smashed the glass. Note the thick panels of timber (not just a ply panel) on the lower half

View media item 4849
this door is very heavy and solid. You can use laminated glass if you want which is very difficult to smash through.

Your Final Exit Door (the front door unless you are a Northerner) should preferably have both a BS deadlockable nightlatch, and a BS mortice deadlock, mounted 1/3rd up from the bottom and 1/3rd down from the top. Other external doors should have a BS mortice deadlock (or sashlock) plus mortice rackbolts at top and bottom.

people tend to get into the habit of only using the nightlatch and not the deadlock most of the time, so you need a good BS one. The letterbox should be fitted well away since it is possible to reach through with a simple home-made tool and manipulate a key or knob.

 

[steveb1964]

I just wondered whether to go for upvc or wood. You always see in these police programs that when they put in a wooden door it seems to go in with no effort whereas alot of the upvc doors seem to take an age to break down

 

[JohnD]

The police might be using a hydaulic jack or battering ram. Your burglar might use a quieter method.

 

[joinerjohn]

Locks are there to keep honest people out. Unless you want security like Fort Knox, the bluggers are going to get in if they are that desperate. What we really need is a change in the law. Stiffer, harsher sentencing by the courts when these scroats are caught. But that's for another thread.