Front Door Locks
According to research in the Uk 67% of burgularies happen through the front door.
The security connected with a door is actually merely as good as the the most fragile element of the door. A professional burglar has learned the vulnerable points and will constantly utilize this to his / her benefit. The difficulty is we do not genuinely understand what a fragile point in a door is. Many of us take it for granted that the locking mechanism we possess inhibits burglars.
I considered it would certainly be worthwhile listing the actual hardware which is typically on front doors so we can easily then choose the best products for the job.
Front door Locks
There tend to be commonly 3 types of locking mechanism used on a front door.
1. A latch bolt. This is a locking mechanism which is installed to the face of the inside of your door. It has a latch that moves in to a keep. The latch is moved with a key from the outside or simply by turning a knob on the inside.
2. A Mortise or Dead Bolt. This type of lock is fitted inside the door. A key is utilised to open it from the outside and inside. These are generally installed at the bottom of the door in addition to a latch bolt being fitted in the center for extra security. These are much more robust when compared with a latch bolt and can not be opened with a credit card for example.
3. Multipoint lock. These are the new standard for locks and will be found on nearly all upvc doors and composite doors. They are fitted in to a rebate on the side of the door so nothing is face mounted on the door giving them strength when pressure is applied to the door. They have a latch in the middle and then a number of dead bolts along the length of the door. It is common to see 4, 5 and seven securing points. These are the locks encouraged by the police, insurance companies.
Keys
The locks by themselves are generally extremely prone to being picked, broken or drilled.
It is a fact that 90% of locks fitted to doors in the United kingdom are very easily opened by professional locksmiths and properly researched crooks. The Internet has opened up the secrets and techniques to any one who goes on the net. For only a few pounds I can buy skeleton or bump keys to open up the majority of locks on the market. You Tube features video’s demonstrating how to break in by means of the door lock.
What is truly worrying is the equipment and training which was just accessible to locksmiths is today available to everyone. With the assistance of the web, these practices and equipment are now fast becoming common place amongst the criminal underground and the opportunist thief.
The other issue we find is that big estates are fitted with the identical make of lock. The master key to be able to unlock them all can easily be found on the net and ordered. I reside on a reasonably new estate and the majority of houses have the original door. With extremely little effort I can easily acquire a key to open all of my neighbour’s doors. I can get into their home with out breaking an entry. This is quiet, highly discreet and not obvious to other people.