Blowtorch Burglary

Criminals are always evolving and its vital that as a society we keep ourselves aware of any new security dangers in order to combat them. For every Burglary method used there is always a defence.

Before reading this article, if you are unaware of the basic principles of lock snapping burglary, I would recommend reading this informative article published by myself as the Blowtorch method is actually an advanced method of lock snapping:

Blowtorch Burglary is the latest method to gain national media attention.

This new method utilises a blowtorch in order to make the prolific method of lock snapping an even easier method of entry, specifically targeting non accredited euro locks.

Burglars method now in Sheffield

Blowtorch burglary is actually a few years old now. I personally first heard of blow torch type burglaries occurring in parts of West Yorkshire in 2017. However this particular method only recently hit South Yorkshire (Barnsley) earlier in 2019 and was subsequently featured in numerous national newspapers as a consequence. In the past few weeks I have received further reports of blow torch burglaries now hitting areas of Sheffield so I feel it is very important to publish this article detailing this new method, why they do it and what you can do to combat it.

Co-owner of SheffLOCK Richard attended this recent blowtorch burglary scene in High Green, Sheffield on 19th February 2020:

The Blowtorch method:

Criminals utilise a small blow torch to target the area of UPVC or composite material surrounding the euro lock and door handle. The reason for this is to create a hole deep enough to reach deep into the door concentrating on the euro lock area.

The goal once having created the hole is to reach with mole grips - deep past any sacrificial lines of an inferior Anti-Snap euro lock that has not been accredited to the Police and Insurance standards of TS007 3 star sold secure.

The weak point of ANY non accredited euro lock is the centre screw hole which essentially holds the lock in place but also above this centre screw hole is the euro locks cam switch which is the switch that locks and unlocks your door.

Once past the initial sacrificial lines of non accredited euro locks the burglar applies pressure to the screw hole area located in the centre of the the cylinder lock, which then breaks easily as per a standard lock snapping method.

How do I know if I am vulnerable to this?

The short video demonstrates what criminals are aiming to achieve with the blowtorch method but also crucially what defence an ULTION lock from SheffLOCK provides:

Cutting straight to the chase, the ULTION euro lock available from SheffLOCK is TS007 3-star sold secure accredited, this is the highest accreditation available for euro locks and I strongly advise that this be an absolute must for all external doors.

Here is a quick self assessment guide to check your current locks installed in your doors:-

Contact the team now to enquire about having these must have products installed and join the thousands of SheffLOCK customers who have guaranteed burglary prevention.

Are your door handles strong enough?

A typical household door handle is made from thin cold pressed metal and is easy to spot by any experienced burglar. Unfortunately, the purely functional front door handle or rear door handle has not been tested to meet any security standards, which burglars use to their advantage.

The standard door handle can easily be broken away to reveal the extended euro-cylinder lock inside. This extended lock can now be gripped with pipe or mole grips and forced in a direction that breaks the weak point in every non-accredited euro-cylinder lock.

Ultimate proven security

It is no secret that crime is on the increase. Predictions are that due to the economic impact of current global and local conditions, unemployment will rise and in line with that, so too does crime. This patented high-security door handle is well-known and provides a visible deterrent to burglars.

The 2-star rated security door handle is made from several layers of bonded metal with the top layer zinc coated and colour co-ordinated for appearance. A 3-star lock and 2-star handle provide the ultimate protection for your home and family.