Burglar's New Trick Threatens Millions of Homes

Millions of homes across Britain are at risk because of a design weakness in a door cylinder lock...

A bold method of using a simple tool to smash the Euro Profile designed cylinder which often controls sophisticated locking systems on double glazed doors, is being increasingly used by raiders in the last two years.

Burglars are able to smash the cylinder and then remove it.

Now a race against time is going on between lock manufacturers to produce alternative or upgraded systems to foil raiders. One leading manufacturer has a replacement cylinder it hopes to market later this year.

A huge proportion of British homes have at least one Euro profile cylinder lock.

West Yorkshire Police have been a leading force in urging the lock industry to develop upgraded mechanisms to prevent thieves from foiling the locks. Versions of the Euro Profile design are produced under license by most 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 deadbolts which have helped cut burglaries.

But this new burglary technique now threatens to undermine security, potentially posing a similar threat to the old "brace and bit" burglary technique.

"There is not going to be just one 'fix all' solution" said an experienced security expert. 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 materials - but because of cost implications that was never going to happen." But sister company Mul-T-Lock has been working on a new cylinder which is designed to still snap cleanly when attached, but remain within the lock to prevent the door being opened, said a spokesman.

The cost of the new cylinder is expected to be significantly higher than the old style. Other companies are believed to be working on beefing up the handle faceplates of their locks to prevent the cylinder being attacked or damaged, though such protection may have its limits. Detective Inspector John Minary, West Yorkshire Police's Chief Crime Reduction Officer, said: "We have been taking positive action with the double glazing industry for sometime now to try and resolve this problem. Your local crime reduction officer can also offer advice on how to make your home more secure and can be contacted on **** *******." (Number withheld for publication purposes)

The association of Chief Police Officers is understood to be involved in the process of trying to overcome the flaw in the lock design.

Extract from "Yorkshire Evening Post" 2005