Updated
Euro Cylinder At Risk Of Being Snapped
Your uPVC or composite door has a barrel lock sticking out past the handle, and you have read that they can be snapped.
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What's happening?
Lock snapping is the attack that made anti-snap cylinders a standard fitting. A euro cylinder is the barrel-shaped lock found on almost every uPVC door in the UK, and on many composite and aluminium ones. Because it is narrow at its middle, an unprotected cylinder can be gripped and broken, and the mechanism then manipulated open. The Master Locksmiths Association is blunt about how little skill it requires and how fast it is — a matter of seconds — and points out that West Yorkshire Police found around one in ten burglaries used this method. It also disposes of the reassurance people take from multipoint doors: all those hooks and bolts are driven by the cylinder, so the cylinder is the weak point and defeating it renders the rest useless. Two things decide whether your door is at risk: what standard the cylinder is, and how far it protrudes past the handle.
What usually causes it?
- A budget euro cylinder that has never been tested against snapping
- A cylinder fitted before 2011, which predates the anti-snap test standard entirely
- The wrong length cylinder, leaving it protruding well past the handle where it can be gripped
- A standard door handle offering no protection over the cylinder
- A cylinder marketed as secure by its maker with no independent third-party approval
- Locks changed in a hurry after a lockout with whatever was on the van
- The original builder's cylinder still fitted years after the door went in
Is it dangerous?
Yes, in security terms. This is the recognised method of forced entry on uPVC doors and it takes seconds with no specialist tools. The good news is that it is one of the cheapest things to put right, and the fix is well evidenced: the MLA's guidance names Sold Secure SS312 Diamond as the standard to look for, or a TS 007 three-star Kitemarked cylinder, or a one-star cylinder combined with two-star security door furniture.
Can I fix it myself?
You can assess it in a minute. Look at the cylinder from outside: if it stands proud of the handle by more than about 3mm, it is exposed, and flush is what you want. Then look for markings — a Kitemark with three stars, or the Sold Secure Diamond mark. If there are neither and the door is more than a few years old, assume it is not anti-snap. Fitting the replacement is where it goes wrong on DIY: the cylinder has to be the correct size for that door and handle, because an oversized one protrudes and reintroduces exactly the weakness you were removing.
When should you call a locksmith?
Call a locksmith to size and fit the cylinder. Ask for third-party approval rather than a manufacturer's claim — the MLA's advice is not to rely on a maker stating a lock is snap-resistant, but to look for independent approval. Have back and side doors done at the same time, since burglars use the least visible door rather than the front one.
What will the locksmith actually do?
- Measure each door so the cylinder sits flush rather than protruding past the handle
- Fit cylinders approved to Sold Secure SS312 Diamond or Kitemarked TS 007 three-star
- Add two-star security handles or cylinder guards where a one-star cylinder is used
- Check every external door, including back, side and French doors, not just the front
- Key doors alike where wanted, and confirm the multipoint locks fully with the new cylinder
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