Burglaries in Norfolk

Burglaries Alert

In the last month or so there have been some burglaries in the North Norfolk area. I know of at least one in Holt and two in Stifkey. In the last year, I have also attended burglaries in Wiveton and other villages along the North Norfolk coast.

Norfolk Winter sky and beach

In general, Norfolk has a low crime rate compared to the rest of the country, but it is not immune. And I still see properties without insurance standard locks every week. At the time of writing this, I am ordering locking products for one property that has two main doors and two sets of French doors. The locks I am replacing are so poor, that it only takes a hard shake to force the French doors open. The customer only called me to replace one lock that they thought was temperamental, and that was the good one. The cost of the job is now four times what the customer had anticipated, but at least now if they fall victim to the burglar (less likely as the locks are much better), their insurance will cover the material loses.

Kite marked lock AC LocksmithsPlease, for your own peace of mind, check your locks right now. Try to see if they carry a British standard kitemark that will tell you they are insurance approved and a better deterrent to the burglar. If you are unsure, call your local locksmith. If they are any good, they will do a free security check (or for little cost if you live remotely). If you have elderly relatives or even know older people who might not be able to get this message or might not be able to check themselves, take a few minutes to talk to them about their locks, especially if they live in older properties or have lived in the same one for years. Remember, the locksmithing industry recommends that you change your locks every five years anyway as often keys go missing, or accidentally get kept by someone you might have given access to your property etc.  

Burglary is an awful crime that leaves one with feelings of violation, but the nightmare is much worse if you find the insurance company will not pay up due to invalid locks. Be wary of the requirement that states you must have a five lever mortice lock. This does not mean the hooks and bolts on a upvc door – it means the ‘Chubb’ type lock on a wooden door. These locks come in two, three and five lever configurations. Only a five lever will satisfy the insurance and anything less is easy pickings for the intruder.

Should you have any questions regarding the above, please do not hesitate to get in touch via any of the methods on my contact page.

Thanks for reading.

 

admin January 18, 2017

Burglary prevention / Burlaries in North Norfolk / Crime prevention / insurance standard locks / kite marked locks /

Scandinavian Locks

All about Scandinavian locks

All abount Scandanavian locks

While Scandinavian multi-point locking mechanisms are not very common in Norfolk, there are enough of them to warrant a mention.

The locks look something like this :

Scandanavian locks
These locks operate with a mechanism that typically employs two hooks that come out from the door and fit into specially cut spaces within the door frame, just like many upvc doors. They are always fitted to wooden doors, which is where the problems start.

In Scandinavian countries they are geared up for cold, damp weather and treat woods accordingly. Here in the UK, we seem to use any wood going and think a coat of paint or varnish will be adequate. That works okay for standard locks where all the working parts are protected within a lock case, but locking mechanisms have exposed moving parts which get pinched and moved by doors that expand and contract in wet weather. The untreated inside of UK doors holds water like a sponge, right next to the metal of these mechanisms which quickly become prone to rust. The problem is compounded by the fact that there used to be several variants of these mechanisms available, but now all but one design have been discontinued, meaning that if your mechanism does go wrong, the replacement is likely to be different. An example being a job I have recently done where everything looked identical, but the door needed much chisel work to accept the replacement.

Scandanavian locks 2

The next problem is cost. These units are extremely expensive.  A complete set up can cost between £250 and £400 depending on who you use to fit the device with labour and VAT to be added to that figure.

Finally, these locks are not particularly secure. While many insurance companies will accept them as adequate, they do not get the British Standard 3621 rating I would recommend to feel properly protected.

If you think you might have Scandinavian locks and they have not been serviced recently, it might well be worth contacting your local locksmith to have a look at them, especially if they are hard to lock, or the handles have gone floppy. A little maintenance now, might save a lot of cost later, or at least alert you to the likely cost of replacement, rather than have it all come as a shock when you can least afford it.

Should you have any questions regarding the above information, please feel free to get in touch via any of the methods on my contacts page.

Thanks for reading.

admin August 20, 2016

insurance standard locks / What are Scandinavian locks /

Your Home Insurance is not valid!

Well, maybe yours is – but I am upgrading many homes in Norfolk, that either don’t meet insurance standards, or are woefully susceptible to attack.

It’s quite simple, if your locks do not carry the British Standard Kite Mark, then they are, in most cases, pretty easy to get in to. And, just as importantly, if your door locks do not meet insurance standards your insurers will NOT pay out any money, regardless of what has happened.
Kite marked lock AC Locksmiths

Of course, there are a few exceptions: Some types of lock either do not have British classification, or, as in with padlocks, the rating is done on a European rating instead.

I have noticed some trends in the properties that are poorly protected, but cannot post them because I would hate to hand a would-be burglar the obvious places to look. However, if you are reading this and you know someone who has not got access to a computer, please do them a favour and help them check their locks for the British Standard Kite Mark. If you know someone with old locks, see if they have checked them recently.

Many people still think a 5 lever lock refers to the type seen on UPVC doors. It doesn’t. It refers to mortice (some times called ‘Chubb’) locks, and there are far too many front doors that only have 2 lever or 3 lever locks, which professional burglars can bypass in seconds.

Norfolk is a low crime area and the number of burglaries are coming down across the UK, in part, thanks to better locks and security in general. But they are still happening. Not to scaremonger, but to simply state facts – If your neighbour has good quality locks, the domestic intruder could visit your house instead.

The emotional fall out of a burglary can last for years. Heirlooms and items of personal sentimental value can never be replaced. Instead of thinking it will never happen to you, be sure you have done all you possibly can to make sure it won’t happen to you. Protect your home with British Standard products. Don’t be complacent with thoughts like: ‘Anyone can get in if they really want to’ If that wasn’t true, I would be out of a job. But the idea is to make it as hard as possible for them. If it is going to take time to get in, they probably won’t bother. And getting in is only half the problem; they always want to leave through a door if they are laden with your possessions, so the correct door locks are essential.

If you have any questions regarding the above, or would like to book a free security check, with no obligations, please use any of the methods on my contacts page to get in touch.

Thanks for reading.

admin May 30, 2015

British Standard locks / insurance standard locks / kite marked locks /

Why do you need kite marked locks?


Insurance standards do not always require that your locks be rated to British Standard kite marked (always best to check your paperwork though!) so why should we fit locks to this higher level?

A C Locksmiths Norfolk

Here is a breakdown of what the three main types of lock do when they are rated to British Standard (BS3621);-

Mortice locks (commonly known as ‘Chubb’ locks)

These are the locks that sit inside wooden doors with a long, cylindrical key that has a square drop down at the end, which turns levers inside the lock to operate. You can get two, three and five lever versions. Only five lever versions are acceptable to insurers when used as a stand alone lock. However, to get the famous kite mark that comes with BS3621, the lock must have certain features:

Firstly, an anti-pick curtain which prevents anyone manipulating the levers inside without the proper key. In addition to this, the levers have pick traps, so that anyone managing to bypass the anti-pick curtain runs the risk of getting caught by these traps and therefore rendering the lock frozen in the locked position. The lock also has an anti-drill plate which is an extra layer of hardened metal that protects the lock from attack by power tools. Standard drill bits will blunt before going through these hardened steel plates. Even with hardened drill bits and powerful drills, this is a noisy and time consuming method of attack, meaning most burglars would avoid attempting this. The bolts on these locks are longer and thicker than standard, with special materials to make sawing virtually impossible. Some have roller bars inside so that a saw blade will only be able to cut so far before it can no longer get purchase to continue cutting. The keeps (the bits that the latch and bolt go into) that sit in the door frame are also bigger and stronger, meaning that in most cases, when the door is forced, it is actually the integrity of the door and frame that fail before the lock.

Nightlatches (commonly referred to as ‘Yale’ type locks)

Standard nightlatches are arguably the easiest lock to break into. These are the locks that have a cylinder that goes through the door from the front, operated by the key and a square or rectangular mechanism on the back of the door which usually has a lever or knob  to pull the latch back, and a button or ‘snib’ which will lock the the latch in the extended or retracted position. If your nightlatch does not have a kite mark, most insurers will require you to have at least one other key operated lock on the door. The standard versions of these locks also have two major flaws. Firstly, if you rotate the key an extra turn you ‘double lock’ the door, which is fine when you leave. But it is possible to double lock the door while it is open and then slam the door shut. This action makes using the inner lever or knob useless, so you can effectively be locked in and the door will only open when some one unlocks from the outside. Also, if the snib iis accidently activated upon leaving, the key will not work when you return.

To get a kite mark, they have to be pretty special; They will have an automatic deadlocking feature which pushes the latch out further, effectively making it as strong as a bolt. It also loses the curved side of the latch so that the door cannot be attacked by a method known as ‘slipping’. The front part of the lock is reinforced and a lose disc fits over the key hole that stops the burglar being able to drill their way into the lock. There are tools that enable potential attackers to manipulate the inside part of the lock from outside the door. On these locks, the springs are stiffer and purchase is much more difficult. In my own personal experience, when faced with one of these locks, I have always searched for an alternative. You can also have a key lock on the inside of these locks. After all, a potential burglar loaded up with your belongings, wants to leave via a door. By having this locked on the inside, he must use the window he entered, risking more chance of cutting himself on broken glass, especially as his hands are now full. The other feature of these kite marked night latches is that you cannot lock yourself in or out unless you leave without the key.

Upvc door locks (called ‘Euro Cylinders’)

At the time of writing, not all insurers require the actual lock on a upvc door to be kite marked as the various hooks, rollers and bolts supposedly make the door good  security. But as been highlighted in the press over recent months, the barrel that the key goes into can be bypassed in under a minute, making all the other features of the door redundant.

The new barrels deserve special explanation because you can have a BS3621 euro cylinder, but still not have the best protection. In addition to the kite mark, these locks have a 1,2, or 3 star rating. 1 and 2 star rated products can have their level increased by having additional devices fitted to the door, or specialist handles fitted, but a couple of suppliers make a lock that are 3 stars by themselves. I only fit 3 star rated euro cylinders as they are universal to any door. These cylinders are known as ‘snap secure’ which means if a burglar tries to break them, only a small section at the front will break off, leaving them in much the same position as they were before they put all the effort in.

The brand I use require a dimple cut key (rather than a jagged edge) which throws out the usual methods of picking a lock because you have to get all the dimples in the right place and the right size. The lock also has a magnet which is activated by another magnet in the key. The magnets can be in different places in different locks. If the magnet in the lock does not line up with the magnet in the key, the lock will not open. This means the only way into this lock is with the drill. As part of my job, I have to use reinforced drill bits. I have had to get into one of these locks and with all my best equipment, and all of my professional skill, it took over an hour. No burglar is going to waste that much time. The locks are distinctive from a distance because the key goes in horizontally, rather than the normal vertical, so most burglars will turn away before even attempting to gain entry.

If you have a upvc door, or any door with a euro cylinder, and you value your possessions, you should think seriously about upgrading, as an insurance payout will not replace your lost items of sentimental value The difference in price between a standard cylinder and this top of the range one, is just £30.00, but the standard cylinder has been shown to allow a burglar into your home in less than a minute with no power tools, whereas the upgrade stops the attacker before he even tries. That has to be value for money.

If you would like more information about any of the topics discussed on this page or any other blog on this site, please feel free to use any of the methods on my contacts page.

Thanks for reading.

admin March 19, 2015

insurance standard locks / kite marked locks /

Better Locks for All

Big things are happening at AC Locksmiths; I went to an industry Expo this past weekend (exciting stuff, I know!) and came away with the feeling that while I have been happy with the service I have thus far provided for my customers, there is room for improvement.

Regular readers of my blogs will know I am driven to educate my customers that fitting BSI kite marked products ensures, at the very least, that insurance standards are met. Yet, I still carry many non-kite marked products as I have also had to compete with other locksmiths on price. This has always been hard, because I have yet to find another locksmith who advertises their costs. So therefore, I am contradicting myself.
With that in mind, come this Spring, instead of fitting like for like standard locks with the option to upgrade, I will be fitting the best standard locks I can in all cases, where possible.

To give an example of the difference, let’s look at the barrel lock of a UPVC door. If your barrel does not display a kite mark, it’s a bit like having a small factory standard hatch back car. It serves a purpose. There are modifications you can make, but the barrel is still vulnerable as the car is still a hatchback and you wouldn’t want to drive across America in one. You can now buy kite marked cylinders in the shops. These however, are 1 star rated and still vulnerable to attack and so you need extra products like armoured handles or cylinder guards. So this is like the factory standard family saloon car. More comfort, but you still need to buy the extras to want that something special. The locks I will be carrying to fit as standard are made by British Company ABS and they are a stand alone 3 star and Sold Secure Diamond rated. This is like the car you want to own. For me it’s a ’69 Corvette. For my wife it’s an Audi A4. For you it might be a Lexus, or a McClaren F1. The point is, this lock is that good! BS3621 has now been superseded by a new standard which is TS007, and this lock fits this standard without buying additional products. At the price I will charge for this product (more on that later) it will be cheaper to install than buying a 1 star rated barrel from the shops and the extra kit to achieve the same level of protection.

Of course it will not always be possible to install the very best and I am always understanding of budgets, so as always, I will be happy to order standard products and return within 48 hours at no extra cost with the lesser quality product. In extreme cases, second hand products will be available, subject to undamaged removal from previous properties (although these will not have the same guarantees).

In addition to the above, I can provide more security in the form of safes to fit all requirements, be it for documents, jewellery, lap tops and beyond, even up to commercial level. I have a full brochure of safe products, most of which can be delivered and fitted within the week.

Of course, for all the locking products in the world, I cannot make or install burglar proof glass and there is always the window as a method of entry for the determined intruder. And with that in mind, I also install wireless CCTV and alarm systems which can even send a direct message to your mobile phone and be pet friendly, allowing your animals to roam free while being alert for larger human size intruders.

I also intend to improve on my already outstanding personal service, (see testimonials page) by explaining the items I am fitting and what makes them great in more detail so my customers know that they are getting true value for money. So, what about cost? Well, the Spring and Summer seasons are going to be a trial period.

* I am freezing my labour cost at £50.00 flat fee regardless of time (remember most charge hourly).

* I am also going to keep my work labour free if the locking products come to more than £100.

* A full BSI 3621 Nightlatch kit will remain at £116.00 (cheaper than buying it yourself and paying labour to have it fitted).

* If it is just a Rim cylinder (Yale type lock) that you need the price is rising to £38.00 as I will be using the ABS range which are as good as the UPVC barrels described above.

* A mortice (Chubb) with handles will remain at £62.00

* A mortice deadlock (no handles) will rise to £44.00

* The ABS UPVC Euro cylinder will trial throughout Spring and Summer for £62.00

* The Standard UPVC Euro cylinder will remain at £42.00 (although you may have to wait 48 hours for one to be ordered)

Of course there are many more products that I supply and fit, all of which I will price for you before ever starting any work so you can decide whether to go ahead or not. Please check back for updates as to exact start dates for the new prices and please feel free to contact should you have any questions.

Thanks for reading.

admin April 3, 2014

insurance standard locks / Locksmiths norfolk / Safe installation /

Rented properties with sub-standard locks.

Rented properties with sub-standard locks. 

Last night I was called to replace a lock because the old one had failed. Both the landlord and tenant of the property were present which made life convenient when showing them that the old lock did not meet insurance standards. So, had the lock not failed, and at some point the property became another burglary statistic, the insurance company would not have had to pay out. If you are a tenant renting a property, make sure your landlord has insurance rated locks in place. If you don’t know what to look for, call a professional. Any decent locksmith will check for you free of charge or at least go through the signs with you over the phone. If you are a landlord, put insurance standard locks to all final exit doors of your properties and then use that as a selling point. It should be tax deductible, so why not do it?

Benefits of the three main types of lock at insurance standard (Or BS3621):-

  • On a wooden door, you normally have a Night latch (Yale) type lock and/or a mortice (Chubb) lock. There are many brands but Yale and Chubb seem to be the ones people use most. Night latch; If you cannot see a kite mark, then it either needs replacing or there should be another lock on the door that does have a kite mark. A BS3621 rated Night latch will have a protective surround to the key hole, which when fitted correctly, will be reinforced by additional screws set into the inside of the door. This surround makes attack by drilling a lot harder. It has more pins than the standard cylinders making it a lot harder to pick and ‘bump’. It also automatically deadlocks when the door is closed, making sure nothing can be slipped between the door and frame to open it that way. They can also have a key operation on the inside, which means if a burglar breaks in through a window, he cannot carry anything out the easy way through your door (although whenever you lock it from the inside, you should be sure where the key is in case of fire). There is also a push button snib, which, while not an insurance requirement, does have its advantages as readers of previous blogs will be aware.
  • The mortice lock; These are the ones I find to be most lacking on rented properties. If you look at the lock where it sits in the leading edge of the door, the absolute minimum requirement is that it is a five lever lock and it will usually say so. Sometimes the locks are so old and dirty, it is hard to see. Ideally it will have a kite mark which will bring it up to insurance standards. But beware, because I have come across a couple of instances where the faceplate of a five lever lock has been put on a lesser model. If anything looks mis-matched, then investigate further. If you remove the lock from your door, a genuine BS3621 will reveal the following features – The bolt itself will have some sort of anti-saw feature. This may either be rollers running through it or a compound designed to stick to a hack-saw blade (you can tell this by the bolt having alternate layers of metal and black material. You will also find an extra thickness of metal. This is an anti-drill plate that hinders even the best drill bits. Around the top of the key hole you will find a tube that goes through the lock. This is called an anti-pick curtain that prevents lock picks being used. Also inside they have ‘traps’ that also hinder anyone trying to manipulate the levers. In the break ins I have attended where these locks were fitted, the door and frame have always failed before the lock and that is why they are so good.
  • UPVC doors and ‘composite’ doors usually have a Euro cylinder lock. For those who have not read my previous blogs, despite all the hooks, rollers and shoot bolts that go with these doors, it has been demonstrated by the BBC and West Yorkshire police that if you have a standard Euro cylinder lock barrel on these doors, then an intruder can get into your home in just 39 seconds with no power tools at all. That’s less time than it takes some people who have keys, to get in after a night out! It is here that you need to check your insurance policy carefully because BS3621 rated cylinders have only been around for a short time. If your insurance states a five lever lock, it is NOT referring to the amount of hooks and bolts and rollers on a UPVC door. Five levers is regarding a mortice lock. (See above). But if your insurance states BS3621 on all final exit doors then each lock must at the very least display a kite mark and for these locks you will see it just below the key hole. The standard cylinders are held in by a single screw and the metal around them is very thin, making them easy to snap if you know what to do. So, even if your insurance does not require BS3621, you should change these locks as a matter of personal piece of mind.But even within these locks there are various levels of strength. The ones I prefer to use have the top ranking and I have yet to see them in the shops. I use them for the following reasons. The easiest way to get past the standard style of Euro cylinder is to snap it (possible with the correct tools) and even the so called ‘anti-snap’ products have been shown to break if enough force is applied  – remember the burglar is not worried about damage to the door itself. While the anti-pick and anti-drill features of the kite marked euro-cylinders are better than the standard, the lock I use has a dimpled key and this design makes everything harder. It also prevents ‘bumping’ and therefore just about every type of attack the burglar employs is rendered almost useless. I say almost useless because at the end of the day, a very determined burglar will always find a way in, but they know as soon as they see this lock it going to be hassle and therefore are more likely to move on to the next easier target.

Away from insurance issues, if you have a UPVC door that only has rollers to engage when you lift the handles, then this also needs looking at. Rollers can be popped out of position by someone who knows how, so upgrading to a mechanism that has hooks or good size bolts is also something that should be considered.

If you would like to discuss any of information contained in this blog, please call or email. You can find all our details on the contacts page.

Thanks for reading.

admin February 26, 2014

Crime prevention / insurance standard locks / Rented property /