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Latest news on lock related crime
EUROPROFILE LOCKS -
West Yorkshire Police Circular - Neighbourhood Policing Teams

We have now reached the point that over 20% of House Burglaries within the Kirklees Division have been committed by the offenders snapping the Europrofile Locking Barrels on UPVC Doors.

Unless you have recently changed your Europrofile Locking Barrels to the more secure ones such as Avocet ABS, Break Secure and Snap Safe it is likely that those fitted at your home are at risk.

It is essential that you now consider taking steps to replace your existing Europrofiles with such as those listed above, which can be purchased on the Internet or through local locksmiths. This is particularly important on your main exit/entrance door as this cannot be further secured by Sash (Security) Jammers when you are out of the house.

Sash (Security) Jammers as pictured below should be fitted on the inside of the UPVC Door (Top and Bottom) and these should be used at all times. Even if the Europrofile is snapped, these Jammers will keep the door secure.

The Sash (Security) Jammer is fitted to the door frame and when turned across the actual door, prevents the door from opening. (If the door opens outwards then the Sash Jammer is fitted to the door and when turned it holds onto the door frame, thus preventing the door from opening.)

Ruthless Gang Who Burgled 38 Homes is Jailed
Mark Lavery - Yorkshire Evening Post - 28 March 2009

Luxury cars worth more than £600,000 were stolen by a professional burglary gang in a terrifying two-year crime spree. Range Rovers, BMWs, Subaru Imprezas and Audi TTs were among 35 cars taken after the three stole keys in raids on 38 homes across the north including Leeds, Wakefield, Pontefract and Harrogate.

A Leeds Crown Court judge jailed Louis Jones, 27, and brothers Kyle, 21, and Neil Whitaker, 26, for a total of 13 years. The gang kicked open one door and confronted a terrified woman holding her baby before stealing keys and driving off in her BMW.

But they mainly struck in the dead of night as families slept by breaking locks on PVC doors.

Also stolen was a £41,000 haul of property including a shotgun, cameras, children’s games machines, iPods and designer handbags and sunglasses.

In one raid they escaped in a £50,000 Range Rover Sport and a £15,000 Audi A4 along with games consoles and a camera after forcing their way into a couples home in Pontefract. Cars taken included an Audi TT from Keddleston Road, Roundhay, Leeds; a Subaru Impreza from Beaumont Close, Wakefield; a VW Golf from Cavendish Road, Guiseley; a VW Golf from Tennyson Avenue, Harrogate; an Audi A4 and a BMW from, a house on Tewitt Well Road, Harrogate; an Audi A4 from Longwood Crescent, Shadwell, Leeds; a VW Golf from Burnley's Court, Methley; a VW Golf from Maple Avenue, Pontefract; and an Audi A3 from Springvale Close, Wakefield.

The court heard when police raided the home that Neil Whitaker shared with girlfriend Kirsty Clay, 23, in Sandholme Drive, Thorpe Edge, Bradford, it was packed with stolen property including TVs, DVD players, laptops, Nintendo Wiis, Gucci sunglasses and a Louis Vuitton handbag.

Jailing Neil Whitaker for four years eight months, Kyle Whitaker for five years and Louis Jones for three years six months, Recorder Deborah Sherwin told them: "These offences caused devastation to household after household with many people feeling afraid and insecure in their own homes." Jones, of Fencote Crescent, Bradford, Kyle Whitaker, of Poplar Woods Gardens, Ravenscliffe, Bradford, and his brother had admitted conspiracy to burgle and steal between June 2006 and April last year. Clay, who lied to police to protect Neil Whitaker, admitted perverting the course of justice and handling stolen goods. She was handed a two-year community order and 200 hours unpaid work.

Other areas they targeted included Cleckheaton, Bradford, Richmond, Chesterfield, Market Weighton, Huddersfield and York.

 

How Safe is YOUR Home?
Huddersfield Examiner - Sam Casey - Nov 3 2009

Flimsy door locks costing just a few pence are allowing burglars to plunder homes in Kirklees, West Yorkshire's police chief has warned.

In the last year 320 homes in Kirklees have been targeted by thieves forcing open the cheap euro-profile locks on uPVC doors.

Sir Norman Bettison, chief constable for West Yorkshire Police, told the Examiner homes were at risk because it took just a matter of seconds to disable the locks.

He said police had not wanted to draw attention to the issue up to now because they did not want to alert criminals to the security weakness.

But he said the practice was becoming so commonplace that the public needed to be warned.

Burglars use a simple tool to smash the europrofile design cylinder, which often controls sophisticated locking systems on double glazed doors.

Sir Norman said: "The level of burglaries is worrying and our analysis shows a significant proportion of it, about one in four of all burglaries in West Yorkshire, is because of cheap euro-profile locks, which are used extensively in uPVC doors.

"They cost constructors 37p each, so you are protecting your £100,000-plus house with a 37p lock.

"Young burglars have realised how easy it is to attack these locks."

"We haven't talked about this because we didn't want to give potential burglars any ideas they didn't already have, but we have now said we need to take a strategic position because it is widely known about within the criminal fraternity."

"The general householder isn't aware of the vulnerability of the locks.", "I'm now wanting to raise the consciousness of the general public about this as a problem."

Burglars who target euro-profile locks are very often intent on stealing top-of-the-range cars.

Sir Norman said: "If you have an expensive car parked on your drive, people intent on stealing it know the easiest way to do it is to look through the window and, if they see the keys on display, they can easily remove the lock and go and get it."

"If there are laptops and other valuables on display, the euro-profile lock is not a deterrent."

Burglaries have risen in Kirklees, leading to it being made a policing priority in the division.

In the last six months, there were 1,606 house burglaries in the district. That was 6.4% more than during the same period last year and more than 50% more than in the same period in 2005, when there were 1,047.

Incidents in which euro-profile locks have been forced open have contributed to the rise.

Sir Norman said: "The locks should be changed for more secure locks and social housing providers are changing them, but private householders need to be aware that the euro-profile locks are very vulnerable."

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "It is difficult for a householder to tell what sort of lock is fitted but the general advice is that if you have an older uPVC door, it would be worthwhile getting the door checked by a reputable firm".

According to police, nearly a quarter of burglaries in Kirklees in the last year were the result of houses being left insecure with the door unlocked or windows open.

They advise householders to keep doors locked even when they are at home and leave lights on when they are out.

ABS Thwarts Burglary Attempts- 10/02/2010

Kevin Horler, Contracts Manager, says: "One of our engineers accompanied a police officer to a number of properties in a Wibsey street after a home had been burgled."

"Among those who agreed to have their home inspected were two ladies. They were impressed with the effort being made and were even more impressed when we could secure their homes with new locks"

One of the ladies is Elizabeth Powell and she said: "There was a break-in down the road and we had a visit from a policeman and a engineer offering to fit new locks.

"And then a few days later I came home to find someone had tried their best to break in but they couldn't get in. Rather than be upset I was thrilled to think I had got one over a burglar!"

Mrs Powell, 74, added: "I can't believe the service I had - it was absolutely wonderful. I don't have much to steal but the new locks have definitely given me peace of mind."

A 77-year-old neighbour also had the work carried out...just days before someone tried breaking into my home.

"I feel a lot safer now because I know burglars can't get past the locks which have been fitted."

"I have also told a lot of my friends to have the inspection done and get the locks replaced if needed.

"Because, as I say, it's much cheaper in the long-run to have the work done and prevent a burglary than pay to have a broken door replaced and have valuables stolen."

Kevin Horler, Contracts Manager, said "The reason that burglars couldn't break-in was because we have now started fitting a brand new product, the ABS cylinder from Avocet, which is designed to combat the snapping of euro cylinders. In our opinion this is by far the most secure Euro cylinder available and we would urge anyone who has a uPVC door to consider having one fitted"

Steve Stewart, Joint Managing Director for the lock's makers Avocet in Brighouse, West Yorkshire, said: "We are delighted that ABS has already proven its resilience by stopping two attempted attacks on residential properties and given peace of mind that the householders can be safe in their own homes.

"In my opinion, and in the opinion of industry experts including leading locksmiths and crime prevention officers, this is the most secure cylinder on the market."

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