Anti snap describes a euro cylinder lock that has been designed and tested to resist lock snapping, where a burglar breaks the cylinder to open the door. The label alone proves nothing. Look for a TS007 3 star Kitemark or Sold Secure Diamond (SS312) approval.
A euro cylinder is the part of the lock your key goes into. It is the usual lock on uPVC and composite doors, and it is often held in place by a single screw through the edge of the door. The Master Locksmiths Association describes lock snapping as a very common method burglars use on doors with a euro cylinder.
Anti snap is a description, not a standard. The test that matters is marked on the lock. A cylinder with the BSI Kitemark and three stars under TS007 has been tested for resistance to snapping, and so has one approved to Sold Secure Diamond, known as SS312. Sold Secure says its Diamond grade is equivalent to TS007 3 star.
One star is where people get caught out. The Master Locksmiths Association says a TS007 1 star cylinder is not tested for snapping. It only reaches the 3 star level when it is paired with a handle or cylinder guard that carries its own 2 star Kitemark. West Yorkshire Police give the same rule: a 3 star cylinder on its own, or a 1 star cylinder with a 2 star handle.
Anti snap is also not the same as anti bump. The association explains that bumping is a manipulation technique that needs a specialist tool, while snapping physically breaks the cylinder. A 3 star cylinder has the 1 star testing, which it says covers drilling, bumping and picking, plus an attack test. That still does not make any cylinder proof against every attack.
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