Urgent - please, As many of you as possible read this!

[blue harbour]

Hi peeps, Below is a post i put on seatcupra.net last night in an attempt to warn as many folks as poss about an alarming issue that i myself have now become victim of!!!

I know a lot of you will probably be aware of this issue, But just incase you're NOT then i'd like to take this oppurtunity to warn as many of you as i can so you can make pre-emptive manouvers to potentially atleast SLOW DOWN if not stop potential theiving scum from breaking into your house and stealing your car keys and valuables etc!

Basically My house got broken into this morning whilst we were asleep and several items have been stolen, but it looks like the the theives were focusing on getting there hands on CAR KEYS, and according to the police etc they think they were actually going after they keys for my Leon (which they luckily DIDN'T get), but unfortunatley they DID get the keys and remote plips for my late Fathers Lotus Esprit (aswell as some of my mums jewellery and some antique guns of my dads aswell!)

Now bear with me as i WILL get to the point's i'm making, but suffice to say alteast they weren't the REALLY violent kind and they didn't come upstairs and threaten either me or my mum in order to get the keys for the Leon or any other valuables, they stayed downstairs so no one was physically hurt!

Anyway to get in they went to the back of the house and broke the lock out of the door to gain access! Now the reason WHY i'm highlighting this particular issue is because of HOW EASY it is to break the standard door locks on UPVC doors to gain access to your house (should you have them fitted!) If you want to see how SHOCKINGLY easy it is then go on YouTube and type in "lock snapping" and see just HOW EASY it is on standard UPVC door locks!!!

I'm highlighting this issue for any of you that DON'T know about this as i'd hate anyone else to have to go through WHAT we're having to go through right now, and if you can Pre emptively DO something about this before this happens to you (if you're unlucky enough!) then atleast this post has hopefully helped inform some who maybe did NOT know of this issue!

As a side note you CAN buy new MUCH better/stronger locks that are direct replacements for your existing locks that are Anti snap/Anti drill/Anti Pick - they cost quite a lot more than the ordinary type you normally get, but if they deter/stop or atleast SLOW down the ******** then surely it's GOT to be money well spent!

Might also be time to maybe think about getting a decent alarm system installed too if you haven't already - it's got to be better to be pro-active and do what you can to make your home as secure as possible - rather than doing what we're having to do right now which is be re-active and sorting things out AFTER the damage has been done!

MODS - I hope i'm NOT breaking any forum rules posting this, and i appologise if i am as that is NOT my intention! i certainly DON'T think i'm giving any potential theives who may be lurking any pointers as the footage of how easily UPVC door locks CAN be broken is on the web for all to see!

To ALL who'm may read this though - Please Please DON'T let yourself be an EASY target for these scumbags - We've ALL worked hard to get what we've got - WHY should we make it easy for them to take what ISN'T there's!!!!!!!!

If this post helps/informs even just ONE person i shall consider it a success, and to anyone who'm may read this - tell AS MANY of your buddies as you can to atleast "look" at the footage for themselves Via Youtube!

ANYTHING WE CAN ALL DO TO MAKE THEIVES LIVES AS DIFFICULT OR AS "OFF PUTTING" AS POSSIBLE HAS GOT TO BE WORTHWHILE HASN'T IT!!!!!!!

Hopefully you've ALL had the patients to read this (i know it drags on somewhat!) but all i'm trying to do is help as many as i can from potentially becoming "victims" as i have!

Thanks

Matt!

P.s - side note - they DIDN'T pinch the Lotus this morning for some wierd Reason - just incase you were wondering, and we've done as MUCH as possible to secure the car as we can to atleast TRY and stop them from taking it!

[Bibs]

Wow, sorry to hear that, sounds nuts! I've looked up lock snapping and it makes me happy that I've not got any of those locks where we live now!

Good luck sorting it all out, I've replied to your other post regarding the keys.

[MHC]

This problem has been known about for years and there are plenty of solutions out there, but unfortunately our building industry is still stuck in the 1950s technology-wise so most doors still come with just basic cylinders. Have a look at ABS Secure (Yorkshire based). Their locks are specifically designed to address this issue and are a doddle to fit.

[blue harbour]

Hi fellas,

I've already addressed the lock situation, been out n got some new ones to replace the standard crap that's in, hopefully new ones will be MUCH tougher to get round!

[superdavelotus]

Hi Matt,

I am sorry to hear about the break in. I was more shocked to how easy it was to break in. I saw the U Tube videos and it's amazing how quick and easy it is. I took my locks out today to see what type they are and they are just the standard type. I went around all my local DIY and UPVC window companies but none had the anti-snap ones in stock. Only one company could get them in to order. I've order a couple and hopefully I'll get them in the next day or two.

Thanks for letting us know and you have at least you've helped me out!

Regards,

David Walters

PS. I hope you get your remotes and other stuff sorted soon and without too much hassle.

[blue harbour]

Hi Dave,

we've managed to sort new keys and locks out already hopefully, and for not much money either seemingly which will be nice if it works out, the alarm and immobiliser though is a whole different kettle o fish as it will have to be removed completely and then a new one installed, so it's gonna cost to get the old one removed and then again to get the new one fitted!!!

Hopefully though it won't work out too costly in the end fingers X!

Re the new door locks for ya house then i know a chap at work was looking into this recently and everywhere he tried had sold out of the size/spec he wanted!! Must admit i didn't really struggle with getting mine as it was the 2nd place i called at where i got them, and it was only a 3 minute walk up the road from Screwfix where i'd tried 1st!

Edited March 31, 2012 by ramjet

[superdavelotus]

I found a guy on Fleebay and they are only 15 miles away from me. The ones I've ordered are anti-snap, anti-bump, anti-drill and anti-pick. Not a bad price neither, it was less than half what my local double glazing company wanted for the same make of lock!

today, I am going round my family's houses to check their locks and will be ordering some more locks today for them.

David

[Kimbers]

Matt

Sorry to hear about this.

They prob didn't take the Lotus because its too specialist and the Police would spot it too easily. Unless car thieves are stealing to order they tend to stick with the normal stuff they can drive past a police car in and not be noticed. Also stripping a Lotus down and selling parts would be too noticable as there aren't that many around.

Another point of mention here is the ease they pick keys up and steal cars without breaking in. My wife didn't believe me when I warned her about leaving the keys on the table next to the door so I got 2 wire coat hangers together and lifted her keys up out through the letter box in about a minute.

As for your PVC vid, I'm glad to say that, even though we have that in the back Conservatory door we always lock the interveneing doors which are security locks.

[mdavies]

Matt,

Thank you for the alert, and sorry you have been a victim. I was shocked at the Youtube etc information and took a look at my own locks. A design just waiting to fail! How could that have been adopted, unless there are dark reasons. One (legitimate) locksmith told me he had tools precisely for snapping them!

Anyway, the one to have seems to be the new Yale design that protects against a number of ways of forcing entry. It features on the front page of yale.co.uk. As the problem has now surfaced it seems some stockists have sold out, but I did find some via Google of the right length (mm either side of the central screw hole, outside first). However I decided to get a local shop to order them for me. Don't want to feature on Lists of 100 addresses and key details that could leak out to be sold in dodgy pubs after giving details for an internet order, just to save a few pounds!

Edited March 30, 2012 by mdavies

[t70]

I haven't locked my doors in 8 years... I had 2 pitbulls and now I'm down to one pitbull and a pitbull/Rottweiler cross breed.. I have never ever had an issue

[Iconic Ride]

Pfft. My attack Golden Doodle can bark your pitbull's eardrums into hamburger meat, Mark.

[Mark Blanchard]

Sorry to hear that. Didn't know about UPVC locks, we've got them on out conservatory and extension, I'll get them changed! I'll make sure the secondary internal doors are looked too. Thanks for the heads up.