Over half of Brits are buying the front door lock that is easiest to break into

Currently, 76%1 of burglars use the front door as an entry point to a home, but how are they getting in so easily?

According to ONS, a third (33%)1 of the door’s penetrated had their locks broken into, and currently an alarming 58%2 of Brits are buying the wrong type of cylinder lock to keep a door secure, allowing thieves to easily gain entry.

The new findings from security retailer safe.co.uk has prompted them to join forces with St Locks’ owner Simon Trifunovic to explain exactly how easy it is for criminals to break the locks, which are the worst to buy and which are the best Anti-Snap locks to invest in to reduce the chance of a front door break-in.

So far, just 12%2 of locks sold have Anti-Snap mechanisms, and Locksmith Simon explains how simple it is to break into a basic cylinder lock and the regular occurrence of lock snapping:

“Lock snapping is not a new phenomenon; it has been a method of door entry or cylinder removal for as long as euro cylinders have been around. What has changed is with the access of the internet and specifically YouTube, the method of entry has become available to the masses and is used more by criminals these days than locksmiths or emergency services. It is a method that with next to zero knowledge or skill and with just a couple of hand-held tools easily concealed in a single pocket, a lock can be snapped and opened in 60 seconds. Even now many customers replace their locks in my area with budget at the forefront of their mind rather than the level of security. The vast majority of my clients still choose a cheaper option.”

To help prevent break-ins, Safe recommends buying a cylinder lock that has an Anti-Snap system. This means that the lock includes a reinforced body with a fake snap line. Burglars break this as it faces the outside of the door, however the actual mechanism will stay completely intact and the door will stay locked. The following three locks all have Anti-Snap protection and employ Anti-Pick, Anti-Drill and Anti-Bump for extra security.

Avocet ABS 3 Star – Euro Double Cylinder (30 Minutes Fire Rated)
Asec Kite Elite – Euro Double Cylinder (Police Approved)
Yale Platinum 3 Star – Euro Double Cylinder (Police Approved)
Anthony Neary, managing director for safe.co.uk said “It’s frightening to see how easily burglars are breaking into cylinder locks, and how frequently it’s happening. We hope our advice encourages people to replace their locks with Anti-Snap technology, to reinforce the entry point to a home and keep families protected. With criminals using the front door as their main point of entry to a home, we have an opportunity to limit their chances of burgling, and in turn can start to lower the alarming statistics.”