stiler83

Just posted this over on R32OC as I no longer own a Subaru but as one was on my drive way at the time though you guys may like to know..

On Tuesday night a 5:50pm I heard a soft bang but it seemed unusual so went to check only to find two guys stood in my kitchen. Lights were on in the house etc and I believe they had waited till I got home to have a go for the car as my neighbour later told me my security light hadn't come one when they had walked past my house a little earlier. As it turn out the sensor had been moved earlier deliberately so they could work on the door in the dark but not later at night when the house alarm would be on, so they were quite brason.
Now I have some expensive composite doors fitted, which are steel covered in GRP as are the frames. They look like uPVC but are obviously a lot stronger and are designed to resist forced entry BUT as it turns out they use what is called a Euro-Profile cylinder (as do 99% of uPVC door and a large amount of other types fitted over the last 10years) and after looking at how easy these mechanisms are to defeat you may as well HONESTLY leave your door unlocked. All that is required to defeat them is a simple tool available from the internet. It took them less than 20sec to defeat mine and enter the house.

I DO MEAN TO SHOCK YOU AS THIS REALLY IS VERY SERIOUS. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT THE WEBSITES BELOW TO SEE IF YOU ARE AFFECTED AND HOW TO MAKE YOUR HOME AND LOVED ONES SAFER.

There are two basic Euro-Profile cylinder remedies, one that is designed to snap off below the surface of the door after attack leaving a portion of the lock still in tacked and the other (and my personal choice) has steel re-enforcement.
The other MAJOR thing is the door handle, most of them can be snapped of with a pair of mole grips exposing the vulnerable cylinder open too the same type of attack but without needing any special tool. The solution here is to fit a PAS24 certified handle designed to resist attack and as a final option if you really want you can fit a cylinder guard.

PLEASE LOOK AT THE LINKS BELOW FOR MORE INFO..
Locksmiths :: Home
Squire Stronghold Cylinders
http://www.schlegel.com/pdf/cylinder_guard.pdf
http://www.hoppe.co.uk/Portals/6/Con...%20Leaflet.pdf

I now have the CISA Steel re-enforced cylinder fitted, the Hope PAS24 handle and the ERA Cylinder Guard fitted and it's only cost me £90 per door for piece of mind. I CANNOT URGE YOU ENOUGH TO LOOK AT THESE ISSUES. This has all been reactionary for me, when if I'd have been informed better I would have been proactive and not been such an easy target. For all my expensive doors it was a few quids worth of lock that let me down.


ON the plus side they got sod all but as I was bear foot they were little too fast to chase after outside. So that's 1 too the Good Guys and a big fat 0 too the Bad Guys...those ***** truckers.

stiler83

For some reason not all the links worked so here they are again..

Homeowners :: Home
Squire Stronghold Cylinders
http://www.schlegel.com/pdf/cylinder_guard.pdf
http://www.hoppe.co.uk/Portals/6/Con...%20Leaflet.pdf

IainMilford

iTrader: (15)

thats awful man hope you and your family are ok

stiler83

thanks for that Iain all is well, family's fine and I can't say it's fazed me personally at all. The problem is where I live quite remote and my house is surrounded my Woods so someone could be sat watching and you'd never know. Going to look at a German Sheppard dog at the weekend...that should make life more interesting for any would-be burglar.

scoobyverysoon

iTrader: (1)

I work in the window game - this method of entry has been around for ages - its called lock bumping very easly done on std cylinders - just a note this thread will get vaped if the police see it and contact scooby net due to them not wanting a mass panic as most cylinders can be bumped /snapped to gain entry - just a note the ones that have the built in snap off feature are also no good as a screw can be driven into it to hold together then it will break

We have been trying allsorts, the cylinders with no screw hole in the middle seem to be the best bet as thats the weakist point

Feel for you getting broken into and good move that you have replaced the std cylinders.

Just a note you should of been offered the chance to upgrade the cylinder when you bought your doors

stiler83

There should be a mass panic as this is a really serious security threat. It's so quiet and easily done these cylinders are a joke.
They snapped the cylinder in mine, not bumped but I know what you are saying. Never offered an upgraded cylinder and the doors are less than 6months old.

Where can you get a cylinder with no screw holes?

GC8

Youve been bump-keyed, havent you? People can replace the euro locks with a type that cant be bump keyed. Youre looking for keys with milled recesses, as opposed to cut lands (like a classic Yale key).

GC8

Not bump keyed then? They werent particularly professional if they broke a handle rather than opening the lock.

stiler83

True but bumping takes a little more time and I guess they wanted the surprise element (as our friends over the pond would say Shock and Awe). They snapped part of the door handle and cylinder taking less that 20secs. Not going to be quite so easy next time. Plus I'm going to feed the new dog on a diet of stripy jumpers, hoodies and Balaclava's :-) and I've also ordered an electronic dead bolt Zapkey Centry Lock

g7prs

iTrader: (5)

Not a nice thing to happen and glad you caught one of them

The problem i can see though is that no matter how secure you make your house just like car jacking if they want in they will just wait for you coming home and then pull a kinfe or such like.

HOWY

At present I have a 5 lever lock and two thumb bolts problem is you can't lock the thumb bolts when you leave the house. Anyone know if it is possible to retro fit a lock which includes a top and bottom horizontal bolt which can be locked with one key (not one that can be bumped!)

subarujimmy

iTrader: (3)

Really sorry to hear this mate. Just glad its not fazed you, cos it probably would bother me a lot.

Just out of interest, what area do you live? (PM me if you prefer?).

Glad there was no actual theft and they left empty handed, like you said bad guys = 0, good guys =1.

Jimmy

scoobyverysoon

iTrader: (1)

A company called fab & fix I will see if theres some info on it - theres a video on the net that shows bumping wont post but it shows how its done - and a lock can be bumped in under 30 seconds - this all started in america - but 9/10 a burgular will just snap your barrel

anti snap barrels and cylinder guard on the handle are good forms of protection

another thing is our place offer a doorlock option which is based on a mortice lock so your single pvc door looks the same has the same number of locking points etc but does away with the barrel its called a vectus lock

handle will look like this - (but any handle can be used with a special insert put into it - http://www.lairdsecurity.co.uk/Vecti...s%20Handle.pdf

the lock is this Vectis its a 3 hook 2 roller lock - these seem to be getting more popular

Note these are not available for composite doors yet (AKA solid doors as the OP has got) (its just single doors and french doors)

corradoboy

I've never figured out why we can have remote controlled central locking with deadbolts on our cars, but not our houses It would be very simple to design a reliable system which uses a simple secure IR/RF fob to electronically activate a very secure and solid locking system, able to lock/unlock all doors or just the main POE with a single button.


Oops, already available....Central Locking...One press of a button can secure your entire house.

Jamescsti

I think for all the locks and alarms on the market, the best deterent you can have is a big dog or two.

My parents have two Greyhounds, the male is huge for a greyhound, he doesn't bark, just stands there looking at people through the window, he doesn't give warnings! lol.

Anyway they live in a decent area and never had any trouble with burglars in 20 odd years, their neighbours have though, get a dog!

dunx

iTrader: (3)

I've got three dogs (<- V.M.S.) but still fancy up-graded locks....

DunxC

sticks

iTrader: (1)

this sounds like one for the watchdog team.

speedking

How do you know it was less than 20sec?

stiler83

20Sec... well I don't really but that is the length of time both the Old Bill (who I may add have been very good) and the locksmith told me it takes to use this method go gain entry.

scoobygreg

iTrader: (3)

thieving barstewards need thier hands chopping of

harvey

iTrader: (48)

I am glad to hear the intruders left empty handed and your family and you are OK. A dog is a very good idea plus automatic lighting and video.

A harsh penal system, removing repeat offenders from society so they cannot prey on society would go a long way. Automatic repatriation of serious offenders who are foreign immigrants and all illegal immigrants found committing any criminal act. They may claim it is a death sentance but they should have considered that before transgressing in our country.
For really serious crimes bring back crucifiction. If they survive half an hour of that and transgress again well permanent removal from society has to be the ultimate deterrent.

daddyscoob

I also work in the window / door repair world. We go to lots of jobs where keys are lost or landlords want locks changed and to be honest any door with a euro cylinder is easy pickings.
Customers meet us at the property and start faffing about looking for spare keys and by the time they look up we are in. Takes less than 1 minute. We don't bump locks, we do snap locks - only good if you rip the handle off the outside of the door. Most people don't want their handles ripped off the door so there is another way not yet mentioned which we mostly do and is quick and easy no special tools required.

Security is only good for a short time. Thieves WILL learn about your locks, etc and will be up to date. Get an alarm it can put them off unless they are determined.

Sleep tight ...... it really is rare.......