Bumper Crop For Criminals - Lock Bumping

Now thieves can break into your home without leaving any trace they were even there, thanks to a phenomenon called lock bumping. There are 22 million homes and four million commercial premises in the UK. On average, each has three locks. Of those, 65% are Yale style rim locks and these are falling prey to a new type of crime, ‘cylinder bumping’ or ‘lock bumping’ as it is known.

Lock bumping is a means of gaining access to a property easily, and with no sign of a break in. Imagine the scene. You come home to find your door open. Once inside, you’ve lost your TV, computer and valuable possessions. You call the police. They may come out but there is nothing they can do because there is no sign of forced entry. You could have left the door open… you call your insurers. Shame, they say, no sign of forced entry – no claim allowed.

Police sources estimate that in some areas over 50% of burglaries are caused by lock bumping. Just nine easily obtained bump keys will open almost any cylinder lock in the UK. Bump keys are available legally as they are used in the locksmith’s profession. There are hundreds of ‘how to’ videos on websites such as YouTube.

Insurance companies will claim that lock bumping isn’t a problem because they only keep records of claims. The police are concerned about scaremongering, but ask any beat officer about lock bumping, and he will know exactly what you are talking about.

Despite assurances that lock bumping isn’t a problem, new guidelines will ensure that all new doors manufactured and sold into social housing in the UK from 2009 will have anti-bump mechanisms on the locks.

Where does that leave the rest of us? If you have a mortise lock, no problem – just remember to use it. If you have PVC doors, garage doors and other doors secured only by cylinder locks then you need to take action. A unique product has just entered the market called Pickbuster ™. A solution which is squirted into your cylinder locks and makes them safe from lock bumping.

Pickbuster ™ was originally developed by Mark Garratt. Mr. Garrett provides technical services to door makers, Government purchasing organisations and police bodies, such as Secured By Design, which advises councils and housing associations on home security.

Commenting on the growing threat of lock bumping, Mr. Garrett said, “People in the security industry have been aware of the lock bumping technique for some time, but now that video footage and instructions about how to make and use bump keys have been published on the internet, the danger is it will become mainstream knowledge.

He added, “Pickbuster is like a patch issued by an IT security company to address a new threat. Lock manufacturers, like software protection companies, make excellent products, but when people start finding ways around their defences, then a response is called for.”

The company behind Pickbuster sells a five lock pack for £19.99 or you can get one of their recommended installers to fit it for you for around £30 for three locks. The recommended installers also have a guarantee that if you have Pickbuster ™ installed by them, you will not be burgled by lock bumping for up to two years. If you are, then the company behind Pickbuster ™, UAP Limited, will pay up to £2,500 to replace the goods that your insurance company will not cover.

Pickbuster ™ offers a simple and cost effective answer to the growing problem of lock bumping. For more information and to protect your locks go to www.pickbuster.co.uk

Comment and add to the story without registration, but keep the comments meaningful please. Links are not accepted.