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> The vast majority of locks have a physical unlocking mechanism on one side Not where I live. Sure the lock that you use to stop it blowing open in the wind (

> The vast majority of locks have a physical unlocking mechanism on one side Not where I live. Sure the lock that you use to stop it blowing open in the wind (1) when you are at home has a latch on the inside (making it easy to open door to visitors etc), but you also have the real lock that you use when you leave the house require keys from either side (2). I think most home insurance in the UK would either not insure you or your premiums would be super-high if you only had the latch and not a proper secure lock. Random image from the internet showing typical UK front door locks - latch at the top (openable from inside without key), proper secure mortice lock at the bottom (key needed from both sides): https://i.pinimg.com/originals/1b/a1/63/1ba1634b8b6b9c5135b6c49362a6b13c.jpg https://i.pinimg.com/originals/1b/a1/63/1ba1634b8b6b9c5135b6... or https://i.pinimg.com/originals/a1/7b/77/a17b77bf1ad7a909a0bdf6965109bf75.jpg https://i.pinimg.com/originals/a1/7b/77/a17b77bf1ad7a909a0bd... - in the second picture if it just had the latch it would be absurdly easy to break into: just break the glass and open the latch! 1 - https://www.screwfix.com/c/security-ironmongery/night-latches/cat810294 https://www.screwfix.com/c/security-ironmongery/night-latche... 2- https://www.screwfix.com/c/security-ironmongery/door-locks-bolts/cat810226#category=cat810292&nooflevers=5_lever https://www.screwfix.com/c/security-ironmongery/door-locks-b...

umanwizard 7y ago
As long as you don’t have easily breakable glass within reaching distance of the unlocking mechanism, why is a lock that can be unlocked from inside less secure?
- chrisseaton 7y ago
  Because breaking through one small panel on a door and then reaching through and turning the lock is a lot easier than having to break away the entire door so you can get your body through.
- mattlondon 7y ago
  I think the problem is not that it can be opened from the inside but more that the ones that just have a lever to flick on the inside are usually yale style locks that are easy to bump or pick, or break a window and reach, or put something through the letter box to reach. The mortice locks are harder to pick and are usually substantially sturdier in construction. In the UK at least, the mortice lock is physically inside the door structure (1) whereas the latches that don't need keys are attached on the door (2). We recently had a break-in in the block of apartments where I live where the latch attached on the door was broken off by people forcing a door. If there had been a mortice lock, they'd have to break the door frame or the door itself, rather than just bust the weak latch lock off the back of the door (in this case the door opened outwards, so they just pulled on the door handle whilst bracing a leg against thethe wall and the latch came right off the back of the door) 1 - https://www.buildingsheriff.com/mortice-lock-costs_files/stacks-image-b87167e.jpg https://www.buildingsheriff.com/mortice-lock-costs_files/sta... 2 - https://www.diydoctor.org.uk/images/nightlatch.jpg https://www.diydoctor.org.uk/images/nightlatch.jpg

umanwizard 7y ago

As long as you don’t have easily breakable glass within reaching distance of the unlocking mechanism, why is a lock that can be unlocked from inside less secure?

chrisseaton 7y ago
Because breaking through one small panel on a door and then reaching through and turning the lock is a lot easier than having to break away the entire door so you can get your body through.
mattlondon 7y ago
I think the problem is not that it can be opened from the inside but more that the ones that just have a lever to flick on the inside are usually yale style locks that are easy to bump or pick, or break a window and reach, or put something through the letter box to reach. The mortice locks are harder to pick and are usually substantially sturdier in construction. In the UK at least, the mortice lock is physically inside the door structure (1) whereas the latches that don't need keys are attached on the door (2). We recently had a break-in in the block of apartments where I live where the latch attached on the door was broken off by people forcing a door. If there had been a mortice lock, they'd have to break the door frame or the door itself, rather than just bust the weak latch lock off the back of the door (in this case the door opened outwards, so they just pulled on the door handle whilst bracing a leg against thethe wall and the latch came right off the back of the door) 1 - https://www.buildingsheriff.com/mortice-lock-costs_files/stacks-image-b87167e.jpg https://www.buildingsheriff.com/mortice-lock-costs_files/sta... 2 - https://www.diydoctor.org.uk/images/nightlatch.jpg https://www.diydoctor.org.uk/images/nightlatch.jpg