Locked Out in Spain: What to Do, Step by Step
What to check first, who to call, what ID you'll need and how to avoid paying too much.
Anti-Snap Cylinders Explained: Choosing a Secure Euro Cylinder
The cylinder is the weakest point of most front doors. Here's how burglars attack it, what the labels on a security cylinder mean and how to tell whether yours should be changed.
What a euro cylinder is
Most front doors in Spain and across Europe lock with a euro profile cylinder: the metal piece the key goes into, held in the lock by one long screw on the edge of the door. Because it is so easy to replace, it is also the part that decides how secure the door really is.
How burglars attack a cylinder
- Snapping: the cylinder is broken at its weakest point, in the middle, and the lock is turned by hand. It works mostly when the cylinder sticks out from the door.
- Bumping: a specially cut key is tapped so the pins jump and the cylinder turns. It leaves almost no marks.
- Picking: the pins are set one by one with tools.
- Drilling or pulling: the cylinder is destroyed with a drill or pulled out with a screw.
What to look for in a security cylinder
- Anti-snap: a sacrificial section breaks off first and the part that works the lock stays in place.
- Anti-bump and anti-pick: special pins that make those techniques fail.
- Anti-drill: hardened steel inserts.
- Key card: copies only with the card, so nobody can have your key copied at a kiosk.
In Spain these appear as antirrotura, antibumping, antiganzúa and antitaladro. If you're from the UK you may know the TS007 three-star and SS312 Diamond marks; in Spain cylinders are graded under the European standard EN 1303. Ask us which level makes sense for your door.
The right size matters
A cylinder should finish almost flush with the outside of the door or the escutcheon. If it sticks out more than a few millimetres it is much easier to snap, however good it is. Each side is measured from the fixing screw, so we measure it at your door before fitting. A steel security escutcheon that covers the cylinder adds another layer of protection.
Signs your cylinder should be changed
- The key sticks, needs jiggling or only turns with force.
- The cylinder sticks out from the door.
- It's the original one in an older property, or you don't know who has copies.
- Someone has tried to force it: scratches, a bent face or a loose cylinder.
A security cylinder is from 90 € + VAT. More on lock and cylinder change and repairs after a break-in.
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