How Do Burglars Break Into Houses in London?

City Locksmith London: burglars get into roughly 77% of homes through a door rather than a window. According to the ONS Crime Survey for England and Wales (Nature of crime: burglary, year ending March 2025), 76.9% of domestic burglaries where the offender got in were through a door and 19.8% through a window - and in 24.5% of all entries the door was simply not locked. Forcing a lock accounted for 14.9%. The single most effective physical upgrade is replacing a standard euro cylinder with an anti-snap cylinder certified to TS 007 3-star or Sold Secure SS312 Diamond, which UK police forces recommend specifically to defeat lock snapping. Locking every door and window every time you leave costs nothing and removes the largest single category of entry.

Why Understanding Break-In Methods Matters

When people picture a burglary, they tend to imagine a smashed window in the dead of night. The reality, measured by the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) and police recorded crime, is different - and understanding how break-ins actually happen is the most direct route to preventing them.

London still records more burglary than any other force area. The Metropolitan Police recorded 32,718 residential burglary offences in the year ending March 2026, according to the ONS Police force area data tables published on 23 July 2026 - roughly 90 residential break-ins a day across Greater London. That was down from 34,304 the previous year, a fall of about 5%, and it is almost certainly an undercount because many burglaries go unreported.

This guide covers the entry methods the data actually shows, the defences that work, and practical steps you can take this week. It is framed entirely around prevention - nothing here helps a burglar; everything here helps you stop one.

How Burglars Really Get In: The Data

Doors, Not Windows - The Founding Statistic

According to the ONS Crime Survey for England and Wales (Nature of crime: burglary, year ending March 2025, Table 3b), 76.9% of domestic burglaries with entry involved a door. Windows accounted for 19.8%. This is the opposite of what most homeowners assume, and it tells you where to direct your security budget first.

On point of entry, the same dataset (Table 2b) records that 58.8% of entries were at the front of the property, 37.4% at the back, and 3.9% at the side in the year ending March 2025. The front and back doors are both worth treating as primary security, not just the front.

The Unlocked Door Problem

In 24.5% of burglaries with entry the door was not locked, and a further 4.7% were through a window that was open or could be pushed open (ONS, Nature of crime: burglary, year ending March 2025). That is close to three in ten entries where no force was needed at all - and every one of them was preventable for free.

In London, the risk is higher in blocks with shared entrances, where residents leave communal doors on the latch for deliveries or prop them open in hot weather. A compromised communal entrance gives access to every flat in the building.

How Many Burglaries Are Attempted vs. Successful?

Resistance works, and the CSEW measures it. In the year ending March 2026 the survey estimated 238,000 incidents of domestic burglary in a dwelling in England and Wales, of which 113,000 - close to half - were unsuccessful attempts where the offender could not get in (ONS, Crime in England and Wales: Appendix tables, Table A1a). Security does not have to be impenetrable. It has to be enough to make an opportunist give up and move on.

The Seven Main Ways Burglars Get In

Method 1: Lock Snapping

Lock snapping is the forced-entry method UK police warn about most on uPVC and composite doors. The burglar grips the exposed portion of the euro cylinder with pliers or mole grips and applies sideways force, snapping the cylinder at its structural weak point near the central fixing screw. Once snapped, the locking mechanism is exposed and the door opens without a key.

Greater Manchester Police, West Yorkshire Police and West Midlands Police have all issued public warnings about lock snap burglaries, describing the euro cylinder as the weakest point of a uPVC door regardless of how many hooks and bolts the multipoint mechanism has. It needs no specialist skill and no specialist tools.

In the ONS figures, “forced lock” accounted for 14.9% of all domestic burglaries with entry in the year ending March 2025 - the largest single forced-entry category on doors. The survey does not separate snapping from picking or drilling, so treat published “snapping takes 10 seconds” claims with care: they come from locksmith demonstrations, not from crime data.

The vulnerability affects any uPVC or composite door with a standard euro cylinder that has no anti-snap core, which covers a large share of London housing stock - particularly properties built or refitted between the 1990s and the mid-2010s, before anti-snap cylinders became normal.

The fix: Replace it with a TS 007 3-star cylinder or a Sold Secure SS312 Diamond-rated cylinder. West Yorkshire Police and West Midlands Police both recommend exactly this specification. Also check the fit: police advice is that the cylinder should sit flush with the handle fascia and protrude no more than 5mm, because a protruding cylinder gives an attacker something to grip and undermines even a 3-star lock. Our residential locksmith service covers cylinder replacement across all London boroughs.

Iulian H., lead locksmith at City Locksmith London, says: “On a cylinder upgrade we always measure the door and cut the cylinder length to sit flush, because a 3-star cylinder that sticks out past the handle has given the attacker back the grip the rating was designed to remove.”

For a full explanation of this attack and the exact products to fit, see our guide to high-security locks.

Method 2: Kicking and Shouldering (Brute Force)

After lock snapping, brute force is the next most common forced-entry method. The burglar kicks near the lock - not at the lock itself, but at the door frame around the strike plate, which is typically the weakest point. On older timber doors, the frame can split with a single well-placed kick.

This method is louder and more conspicuous than lock snapping, so burglars using it tend to work faster and in less observable locations - rear doors, side passages, and properties set back from the street.

What makes a door vulnerable to kicking:

• Single-point locks where all force concentrates at one strike plate
• Weak or rotten door frames, particularly around the strike plate mortice
• Short, inadequate screws on the strike plate (25mm screws in a softwood frame offer almost no resistance)
• Old, warped doors that no longer sit tightly in the frame

The fix: Fit a multi-point locking system so force is distributed across three or more locking points rather than one. Reinforce the strike plate with 100mm (4-inch) screws that bite into the structural door frame rather than just the casing. On timber doors, a BS 3621 five-lever mortice deadlock - the standard required by most UK home insurers - provides significantly more resistance than a standard nightlatch alone. Our door lock installation service covers multi-point locks, mortice deadlocks, and reinforced strike plates.

Method 3: Letterbox Fishing

Letterbox fishing (also called “letterbox attack”) involves the burglar pushing a long, hooked tool through the letterbox to:

• Hook keys left on a hall table or key rack near the door
• Operate the internal thumb-turn on a nightlatch to open the door from inside
• In rare cases, reach the internal handle of a lever-handle nightlatch

It is a quiet, low-damage method that leaves no evidence of forced entry on the door itself, which can complicate insurance claims if you cannot prove how entry was made. It is particularly common in London’s terraced streets, where Victorian and Edwardian front doors often have the letterbox positioned close to the lock and handle.

The fix: Fit a letterbox cage or restrictor - a metal box that mounts on the inner face of the door, catching post and preventing any tool from reaching through to the lock side. Move any key storage well away from the hallway. If your current nightlatch has an internal thumb-turn, consider a locksmith assessment of whether it can be seen or reached through your letterbox.

Method 4: Lock Bumping

Lock bumping uses a specially cut “bump key” inserted into a pin tumbler cylinder. A sharp strike on the key causes the pins to momentarily jump, and if rotational force is applied at that instant, the cylinder opens. It works on most standard pin tumbler locks and requires moderate skill - more than lock snapping, but within reach of a determined burglar.

Bumping is well documented and the tools are not hard to obtain. It is less common than forcing a lock or walking through an unlocked door, and the ONS does not count it separately, but it remains a real risk on older cylinders that have not been upgraded in a decade or more.

The fix: Anti-bump cylinders use security pins that are highly resistant to bumping. The TS 007 3-star cylinders specified above for anti-snap protection are also anti-bump rated. If your property has a five-lever mortice deadlock, check it carries the BS 3621 mark - these are tested to resist picking and manipulation techniques including bumping.

Method 5: Window Entry

When burglars target windows, they typically choose ground-floor windows at the side or rear of the property - areas with least visibility to neighbours and passers-by. Windows accounted for 19.8% of all entries in the year ending March 2025, split by the ONS into breaking or cutting the glass (9.1%), forcing a window lock or catch (7.0%), and a window that was open or could simply be pushed open (4.7%). A properly locked, closed window is the least likely of the three to be the way in.

Particular weak points:

• Ground-floor rear windows left on the “night latch” position (slightly open for ventilation) - accessible from outside with a simple tool
• Old sash windows with no lock beyond the original catch, which can be vibrated open
• Sliding patio doors without an anti-lift device fitted - these can be lifted clean out of the track without breaking the lock
• Conservatory doors and windows - often fitted with lighter-duty hardware than the main house doors

The fix: Fit window locks to any accessible window. For sash windows, dual screw locks or sash stops prevent the window being opened beyond a small ventilation gap. For sliding patio doors, fit an anti-lift bar or block in the track. Our security door and window lock guide covers every lock type for every window and door configuration.

Method 6: Opportunistic and No-Force Entry

A significant number of London burglaries are not planned. An opportunistic burglar walks down a street, tests door handles, spots an open ground-floor window, or follows a delivery driver into a shared building entrance. Nothing in the ONS data supports the idea that these offenders are skilled; it supports the idea that they are quick, and that they take what is left open.

This category includes:

• Unlocked or unlatched front and rear doors
• Ground-floor windows left open or on ventilation latches
• Communal building doors left propped open
• Garage-to-house connecting doors that are hollow or poorly locked
• Sheds and outbuildings used as a staging post to collect tools for a follow-on attack on the main house

The fix for this category costs nothing: lock every door and window every time you leave, even for a short trip. In the year ending March 2025, an unlocked door was the way in for 24.5% of all burglaries with entry.

Method 7: Distraction and Doorstep Entry

This is the category most guides leave out, and the ONS data says it should not be. In the year ending March 2025, the offender pushed past the person who opened the door in 10.3% of burglaries with entry, and got in by false pretences in 7.8% - posing as a utility worker, a council officer, or a caller with an urgent problem. Together that is a larger share than every window method combined.

Older and vulnerable residents are targeted disproportionately. The defence is procedural rather than mechanical: fit and use a door chain or restrictor and a spyhole or video doorbell, never open the door fully to an unexpected caller, and check identity by phoning the organisation on a number you look up yourself, never one printed on the caller’s card. Genuine callers will wait.

Methods vs. Defences: Quick Reference

Method	Typical target	Defence
Lock snapping	uPVC/composite doors with standard euro cylinder	TS 007 3-star or SS312 Diamond anti-snap cylinder, fitted flush
Kicking/shouldering	Single-point locks; weak frames	Multi-point lock; 100mm strike plate screws; BS 3621 mortice
Letterbox fishing	Nightlatch doors with letterbox near lock	Letterbox cage; move keys; no thumb-turn in reach
Lock bumping	Standard pin tumbler cylinders	Anti-bump (TS 007 3-star) cylinder
Window forcing	Ground-floor accessible windows	Fitting window locks; closing before leaving
Distraction / false pretences	Doorstep callers; vulnerable residents	Door chain or restrictor; spyhole or video doorbell; verify callers
No-force entry	Any unlocked door or window	Consistent locking habit; no leaving doors on latch

When Do Burglaries Happen in London?

The popular belief that burglary is a daytime crime does not match the current data. According to the ONS Crime Survey for England and Wales (Nature of crime: burglary, year ending March 2025, Table 1b), 73.6% of domestic burglaries with entry happened in the evening or at night, and 67.0% happened in the dark. Only 26.4% happened in the morning or afternoon.

That is a sharp change from previous years, which ran closer to an even split, and ONS flags it as a statistically significant shift - the sample for this table is small, so treat it as a strong signal rather than a settled trend. The practical conclusion holds either way: darkness is when most entries happen, so lighting and the appearance of occupancy matter.

The weekday pattern is steadier. 68.3% of burglaries with entry occurred during the week rather than at the weekend, consistent across a decade of CSEW data.

Seasonal patterns:

• October to January: shorter days give more cover during the early evening
• Summer: holiday absences and open windows
• School holidays: the pattern of who is home changes

One further point from the same dataset: someone was at home in 58.6% of burglaries with entry, and in 30.6% of cases the occupant was at home and unaware it was happening - typically when entry was at the rear while they were in a front room or upstairs.

What Actually Works: The Evidence-Based Prevention Checklist

Police guidance converges on one finding: no single measure is sufficient, but a layered combination works. The ONS data supports it from the other direction - close to half of attempted dwelling burglaries in the year ending March 2026 failed because the offender could not get in, and nearly three in ten successful entries needed no force at all. Fix the free things first (locking up, keys away from the door), then the cheap physical things (cylinder, letterbox, window locks), then the visible deterrents.

Priority 1: Upgrade your door lock (most impactful single action)

• Replace any standard euro cylinder with a TS 007 3-star or SS312 Diamond anti-snap, anti-bump cylinder - this eliminates the most common forced-entry method
• Ensure any timber front door has a BS 3621 five-lever mortice deadlock (required by most UK home insurers as well as being genuinely secure)
• Check that your door operates a multi-point locking system - if it does not, consider upgrading

Our residential locksmith service covers full security assessments, anti-snap cylinder fitting (from £69 labour), multi-point lock fitting, and BS 3621 mortice installation (from £89/hr labour) across all London boroughs, with no call-out fee and free quotes.

Priority 2: Secure the letterbox

• Fit a letterbox cage or restrictor on the inner face of the door
• Move any key storage at least 2 metres from the front door
• If your nightlatch has a visible thumb-turn that can be reached through the letterbox, ask your locksmith to assess the risk

Priority 3: Lock windows and patio doors

• Fit window locks to all accessible windows, particularly ground floor and any reachable from a lean-to, bay, or flat roof
• For sash windows, fit sash stops or dual screw locks
• Fit an anti-lift device in the track of any sliding patio door
• Close and lock all windows before leaving, even for short periods

Priority 4: Visible deterrents

• Install motion-activated exterior lighting at front and rear - an illuminated burglar is a deterred burglar
• Fit a visible alarm bell box at the front and rear of the property, even if you also have a monitored system
• Consider a video doorbell for the front door - this records approach footage and can alert you in real time

Priority 5: Reduce opportunity

• Do not leave keys anywhere near the front door or within reach of the letterbox
• Keep a clear sightline to your front door - high hedges and recessed porches provide cover for burglars
• Use timber fencing and thorny planting at the rear for a physical barrier
• Use gravel on paths and driveways - it makes a quiet approach far harder
• Register valuables on the Immobilise Property Register (free) so police can reunite them with you if recovered

London-Specific Considerations

Flatted Properties and Shared Entrances

London has a higher proportion of flats and converted houses than almost anywhere else in the UK. These present specific security challenges:

• Communal front doors: Often propped open for deliveries or have degraded intercom systems. A compromised communal entrance gives every burglar access to every flat in the building.
• Multiple keyholders: More residents means more keys in circulation. Lost or copied keys can circulate without any individual resident knowing.
• Upper-floor complacency: Residents above the ground floor sometimes neglect lock security because they feel less vulnerable. A compromised communal entrance eliminates that protection entirely.
• Roof terrace and balcony access: In London mansion blocks and modern developments, roof terraces and balconies on upper floors can provide access between properties or from adjacent flat roofs.

If you live in a flatted property, raise communal entrance security with your landlord, managing agent, or residents’ association. The fix is rarely expensive - often a new self-closing mechanism and a working intercom is sufficient.

Car Key Burglary

In some burglaries the target is not the contents of the house but the car keys inside it, and therefore the car outside. Car keys were among the items taken in 8% of domestic burglaries where anything was stolen in the year ending March 2025 (ONS, Nature of crime: burglary, Table 6a). For comparison, jewellery or watches were taken in 34% and money or cards in 30%.

Prevention mirrors the advice above: a letterbox cage prevents fishing for visible keys; an anti-snap cylinder removes the easiest forced-entry route; and keeping car keys in a signal-blocking pouch stops a relay attack while the key sits in your hallway. Our guide to protecting your car from keyless theft and relay attacks covers the vehicle side in detail.

After a Break-In: Immediate Steps

If your property has been broken in to, the priority is securing it again before addressing contents. A broken or compromised lock leaves the property at risk of a second entry - a pattern that does occur, particularly when burglars believe the job was incomplete.

Our emergency break-in repair service covers same-day door and lock repair across all London postcodes, with a 25-minute response target, available 24 hours a day. We can replace snapped cylinders, repair or replace damaged door frames and strike plates, fit temporary boarding if the door itself is damaged, and complete a full security upgrade on the same visit.

Lock change labour starts from £69. Emergency door opening from £79. Mechanism repair from £99. Free quote on arrival - contact us any time.

Frequently Asked Questions

See the FAQ section below for direct answers to the most common questions about how burglars break in and what stops them.

Summary: The Most Important Things to Do Today

1. Test all your door locks. If your uPVC or composite door has a standard euro cylinder with a visible fixing screw, it is vulnerable to snapping. A locksmith can confirm this in minutes.
2. Fit a letterbox cage if your letterbox is within reach of the lock or handle.
3. Check your windows. Fit locks to any accessible window that does not already have one.
4. Move your keys away from the front door.
5. Consider a visible alarm - even the presence of a bell box deters opportunistic burglars.

For a professional security assessment of your London home, contact City Locksmith London - we cover all London postcodes, operate 24/7, and offer free quotes with no call-out charge.

If your key has broken in the lock rather than been snapped by a burglar, our guide to getting a snapped key out of a lock covers the safe DIY and professional options.