HARDWARE&SECURITY
SPONSORED BY KEYPRINT
INDUSTRY RESPONDS TO BBC WATCHDOG
CYLINDER-SNAPPING EXPOSE
Householders concerned about the security of their homes are calling in locksmiths, installers
and security professionals for advice following a BBC TV Watchdog Test House exposé
on the vulnerability of locks on most domestic PVC-u and composite entrance doors.
The BBC TV consumer
programme revealed that
many burglaries that occur in
the UK each year are carried
out by criminals snapping the
Eurocylinder within the door
lock, a process that can take
just seconds.
But the programme
reassured householders
that there are now cylinders
that resist snapping, such as
those tested to Kitemark TS
007 standard. This standard
has been developed by the
Door & Hardware Federation
(DHF) and the Glass &
Glazing Federation (GGF),
in consultation with Secured
by Design (the Association of
Chief Police Officers’ crime
prevention initiative), the
British Standards Institution
(BSI), and other leading
industry organisations.
According to the DHF, which
represents the UK’s leading
lock manufacturers, there are
45 million residential entrance
doors in the UK. Almost 70 per
cent of these are vulnerable to
snapping and other methods
of lock attack which have been
revealed extensively on the
internet.
The TS 007 standard
incorporates the use of a
Kitemark symbol and star
ratings that range from
one to three stars. TS 007
is designed as a three star
solution. Security can
be achieved by either a
combination of a cylinder
(marked with one star) and
security door furniture such
as a strengthened door handle
(marked with two stars); or a
“super cylinder” (marked with
three stars) that successfully
resists snap attack. In both
cases, a similar degree of
resistance against attack will
be provided.
In the Watchdog programme,
viewers watched tests being
carried out at the BSI on
TS 007 three star cylinders
which successfully repelled
lock snapping attempts. The
programme also showed tests
being carried out on PAS 24
Kitemark-rated doors. These
are replacement doorsets
incorporating high security
locks to TS 007 standard along
with other security features
such as strong hinges and
handles.
To read more, visit www.locksmithjournal.co.uk
Commenting, Michael
Skelding, DHF general
manager and secretary said:
“BBC’s Watchdog programme
has drawn attention to the
huge risks being run by so
many households that have
insecure PVC-u and composite
entrance doors. We are
encouraged that the solution
put forward in the programme
is that worried householders
should consider either
retrofitting a Kitemark TS 007
three star rated system in their
existing door, or replacing the
entire door with a PAS 24 rated
product. There is a wide range
of these cylinders and doors
available from DHF and GGF
member companies.”
This lock cylinder displays
the Kitemark and three stars,
indicating it is rated to TS
007 and offers three star
protection against lock attack.
For more information on TS
007 and PAS 24, and to see
the range of cylinders and
doorsets available, visit
www.dhfonline.org.uk and
http://www.ggf.org.uk.
The Watchdog programme
can be watched on BBC TV
iPlayerhttp://www.bbc.
co.uk/iplayer/episode/
b03y9xvl/Watchdog_Test_
House_Episode_4/.
www.dhfonline.org.uk.
www.ggf.org.uk
MAR/APR 2014
65