I remember bringing this up a number of years ago when I upgraded the lock on my conservatory door. What's brought me to focusing on it again is that a neighbour has just suffered a break in due to this type of lock making it very easy for the villains.
They have just bought a new and very posh high performance BMW - Probably buy about 20 Backies (our 1.2 Panda) with what it cost. Their front door is a modern UPVC type with the typical Eurolock cylinder type lock. Here's an example: https://www.screwfix.com/p/union-6-...3tSOqcFEynIY-HJ0AIRoCBT4QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds Apparently it took these villains just minutes to defeat the lock and get through the front door - I presume to steal the car keys? - Unfortunately for them our neighbours also have an inner vestibule door which was retro installed by a joiner and is a solid bit of kit with a separate, robust, door lock of it's own which they were unable to get through (or perhaps decided to give up when they encountered it?) Anyway, whatever the reason, they gave up.
They've had a locksmith round today rectifying the damage and fitting a new lock and he has explained to them that the original eurolock which was in the door was probably the one fitted some 45 years ago when our houses were built and was of a very basic design and easily broken. Although still available today, he advised them to replace it with the newer version, which is interchangeable, but is anti snap, anti bump (anti bump?) anti drill, etc. For example like this one: https://www.screwfix.com/p/yale-fir...euro-profile-cylinder-40-50-90mm-nickel/7085t About 4 times the cost of the old spec lock but much more robust.
He, the locksmith, said he's coming across these early design locks every day and they are so easy to defeat that, if your's are that type, you need to check them and upgrade to the newer type immediately. If I've understood him correctly, the old design can be easily snapped in half and then the bits extracted with long nose pliers or similar but the new type breaks off in place leaving most of it behind in the door thus blocking access to the mechanism.
So there you are, just thought I'd mention it. My neighbour's wife is very emotional about the fact her house has been "violated" and I wouldn't want anyone to go through that when it's easily avoidable.
They have just bought a new and very posh high performance BMW - Probably buy about 20 Backies (our 1.2 Panda) with what it cost. Their front door is a modern UPVC type with the typical Eurolock cylinder type lock. Here's an example: https://www.screwfix.com/p/union-6-...3tSOqcFEynIY-HJ0AIRoCBT4QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds Apparently it took these villains just minutes to defeat the lock and get through the front door - I presume to steal the car keys? - Unfortunately for them our neighbours also have an inner vestibule door which was retro installed by a joiner and is a solid bit of kit with a separate, robust, door lock of it's own which they were unable to get through (or perhaps decided to give up when they encountered it?) Anyway, whatever the reason, they gave up.
They've had a locksmith round today rectifying the damage and fitting a new lock and he has explained to them that the original eurolock which was in the door was probably the one fitted some 45 years ago when our houses were built and was of a very basic design and easily broken. Although still available today, he advised them to replace it with the newer version, which is interchangeable, but is anti snap, anti bump (anti bump?) anti drill, etc. For example like this one: https://www.screwfix.com/p/yale-fir...euro-profile-cylinder-40-50-90mm-nickel/7085t About 4 times the cost of the old spec lock but much more robust.
He, the locksmith, said he's coming across these early design locks every day and they are so easy to defeat that, if your's are that type, you need to check them and upgrade to the newer type immediately. If I've understood him correctly, the old design can be easily snapped in half and then the bits extracted with long nose pliers or similar but the new type breaks off in place leaving most of it behind in the door thus blocking access to the mechanism.
So there you are, just thought I'd mention it. My neighbour's wife is very emotional about the fact her house has been "violated" and I wouldn't want anyone to go through that when it's easily avoidable.
