If you have a UPVC or composite front door in Liverpool, there's a reasonable chance the cylinder on it can be snapped open in under a minute with no specialist tools — just a screwdriver and a pair of pliers. Cylinder snapping is the dominant method burglars use on UPVC doors across Merseyside, and most homes still have the standard cylinder the door came with.
This guide explains what snapping is, what a TS007 anti-snap cylinder actually does to stop it, and how to check whether you already have one.
What Is Cylinder Snapping?
A standard euro cylinder — the barrel-shaped part the key goes into — has an intentional weak point where the outer section meets the inner section. This weak point exists so the cylinder can be profile-milled, but it also means the outer section can be snapped off with force. Once the outer section is removed, a flat screwdriver applied to the remaining stub turns the lock as effectively as the original key. The whole process takes under sixty seconds for someone who has done it before.
Merseyside Police specifically name cylinder snapping as the primary method used on UPVC properties in Liverpool and have recommended TS007 upgrades since 2015. The Secured by Design initiative — the police-backed product approval scheme — requires TS007 3-star rating on any cylinder fitted to a certified door.
What Does TS007 3-Star Actually Do?
A TS007 3-star anti-snap cylinder has an internal sacrificial section. When the outer portion is forced and snaps, a hardened steel barrier inside the cylinder body prevents access to the cam — the part that turns the lock. The outer section breaks away as designed, but the lock stays locked.
TS007 3-star also tests against drilling (hardened anti-drill pins), picking (security pins), and manipulation (false gate profiles). The “3-star” refers to three independent tests passed: anti-snap, anti-pick, anti-drill. A 1-star cylinder passes only one.
💡 The cylinder protrusion issue: a TS007 cylinder fitted at the wrong length — protruding from the door furniture — is still vulnerable because the excess outer section gives the snap tool more leverage. Correct sizing is as important as the cylinder grade. This is why fitting by a qualified locksmith matters. See lock changes Liverpool.
How to Tell If You Already Have One
Look at your cylinder from the outside. Three ways to identify a TS007:
- Kitemark symbol — a small kite-shaped BSI mark on the cylinder face or bow (the keyring end)
- 3-star logo — three ★★★ stamped on the cylinder
- Sacrificial section visible — a thin line or colour break part-way along the cylinder body showing the snap point is designed in correctly
If there's no Kitemark, no stars, and the cylinder is the same colour all the way along: it's standard grade and vulnerable to snapping.
Do You Actually Need One?
Yes, if you have a UPVC or composite door. The snap attack doesn't work on wooden doors (which have mortice locks, not euro cylinders) or on old-style doors with separate deadbolts. But across the terraces, semis and modern estates of Wavertree, Kensington, Anfield, Walton, Bootle and essentially all of modern Liverpool, UPVC and composite doors are the norm — and the vast majority still have standard cylinders.
A TS007 cylinder change is one of the most cost-effective security upgrades available: a single afternoon, a modest parts and labour cost, and you've removed the dominant forced entry method entirely. See the full security upgrades page for where anti-snap fits in the priority order for Liverpool homes, and lock changes for cylinder replacement detail.
What About Insurance?
Most UK home insurance policies require “British Standard approved locks” as a minimum. TS007 3-star is the euro cylinder standard that satisfies this for UPVC doors. A non-compliant cylinder at the point of a burglary can result in a rejected claim. Written documentation of the cylinder grade is provided by Cobra on every lock change — specifically so the insurer can be notified.