Crack down on crime

As we enter the winter months, opportunist thieves ramp up activity. Paul Atkinson, sales and commercial director of Yale Door and Window Solutions, says there has never been a better time to encourage your customers to sharpen up their security solutions.

Statistics have revealed that the months following the clocks going back see a 38% spike in burglaries, with Friday being the most likely day for a theft. In anticipation of this peak period for crimes, local police constabularies have been campaigning to raise awareness, while some charities offer advice on protecting homes and keeping people safe.

Fabricators and installers could use this period of heightened awareness to encourage homeowners to invest in home security measures – up-selling security features to protect their family’s safety as well as personal belongings.

Traditionally, home security is a reactive purchase once an incident has already happened, as opposed to proactively preventing theft. The industry needs to work together to highlight the effectiveness of simple security solutions to help take potential victims out of the equation.

Many homeowners underestimate the importance of sufficient door and window security, despite finding that in 72% of cases a burglar will enter through a door and 15% of those will get in because the door has been left unlocked. As a result, it’s important to ensure homeowners understand how to secure these entry points, providing protection against common methods of attack.

Lock snapping is one such method among burglars, as it requires little or no experience or skill. In response to attacks, fabricators and installers should be promoting cylinders that meet the TS007 standard – developed in conjunction with the Door and Hardware Federation. Under the TS007 3-Star system, the cylinder – or a combination of the cylinder and security furniture – must have an accumulative three stars to meet the minimum-security requirements.

To achieve the highest TS007 3-Star accreditation the Yale Platinum 3-Star cylinder has been independently tested by BSI (British Standards Institution) against known cylinder attack methods. The benefit of the 3-Star accreditation means no additional security door furniture is necessary to achieve the highest level.

Fabricators and installers should also highlight the importance of securing windows and doors in garages and outbuildings. Garages often provide access to the rest of a house, and typically contain ladders and tools that could prove useful for a burglar to gain access to other areas of the property.

The ‘Complete Yale Door and Window’ package has brought together a range of high-security hardware components to create a trusted solution backed by the extensive ‘Yale Lifetime Security Guarantee’. Fabricators can choose from Yale branded hardware to create an offering that adheres to the most up-to-date industry standards (including PAS24:2016 and police approved scheme Secured by Design).

Yale is confident in its offering, proposing to give up to £3,250 worth of repayments to the homeowner if a break in occurs due to a failure of a Yale Window or Door component.

For the tech savvy, consider investing in smart security solutions. The Conexis L1 Smart Door Lock allows users to configure, control and unlock their door all from their smartphone.

Offering multiple benefits for installers and homeowners alike, the new lock has been designed to provide a high level of security, including a tamper alarm and secure thumbturn to protect against letterplate phishing. This gives trade professionals an easy entry point into the smart home market, enabling them to capitalise on a new revenue stream.

By working together, the door and window industry can help to ensure that homeowners across the UK are prepared for the darker nights, with the necessary security upgrades in place to offer protection from any opportunist criminal.

www.yaledws.co.uk