To help prevent burglars sticking a hook through the letterbox to open our newish front door, can you get a modern lock but with some sort of 'snib' device to stop the door being opened just by pulling down the handle?
Thought you might all be amused by this. I asked a local locksmith for a price on supplying/fitting a new lock (yes, the sort that has one screw holding it to the door, and takes about 60 seconds to change).
The thing is .. any one who comes prepared to open a door is unlikely to be stopped. The cowl I suggested will easily be smashed off with a hammer and screwdriver. But it is just a little bit of prevention, a number of small preventative measures will keep the vast majority of people safe.The majority or burglaries I have attended are usually done by chancers. The chancer will normally not get involved in forcing an entry. They really prefer an open door.
The type of cylinder I sugested will keep out those who use the most common method of breaking in through a UPVC or Composite door. It takes seconds to snap a Euro Cylinder and all you need is a pair of Mole grips