Local cycle store owners reacted with shock and disbelief yesterday at the news that the popular Kryptonite locks could be defeated with a ballpoint pen.

“A ballpoint pen?

“The ones that we have are pretty thick. Oh my gracious - I didn't know that but I will definitely look into it tomorrow,” said Roseann Smith, acting manager at Wheels Cycles.

Wheels, like a number of other cycle stores on the Island, imports the U-shaped locks.

“We'll take them off the shelves,” she said, when asked what the company would do if it was confirmed that the locks were not as infallible as previously thought.

Reports on the lock's weakness to ballpoint pens were confirmed by the company last week after a video of one customer picking his lock circulated the Internet, according to the Associated Press.

AP reported last week that circular key locks, like the U-shaped Kryptonite-brand lock, can be easily opened with the narrow shaft of a ballpoint pen.

A spokeswoman for the company was also reported as saying it plans to accelerate the introduction of new versions of the lock because of the complaints, but the company did not offer any refunds or replacements at the time of the report.

But it later posted a notice on its website offering a free security upgrade on locks purchased in the last two years.

Customers who purchased their locks more than two years ago will get a “sizeable” rebate on the upgrade products.

Details of the offer, which applies to only certain types of Kryptonite locks, will be on the company's website by tomorrow afternoon.

The company did not say whether it had reports of bikes being stolen using a ballpoint.

Meanwhile local bike stores were unfamiliar with the reports.

“That's the first I've heard of that,” said Geoffrey Gibbons, general manager of Oleander Cycles.

“I've heard of stories using the exhaust of a V50 motorcycle as leverage...

“But I've never heard anything about a pen.”

Mr. Gibbons noted that his company sold U-locks but not the Kryptonite brand.

Still, he had his locks tested with a Bic pen and the problem was non-existent, he said.

And he cautioned that Oleander does not sell any locks that come with a warranty.

“A lot of our locks - you hit them hard with a hammer and they will come apart,” Mr. Gibbons said.

World Distributors manager Eugene Patello, also said he had not heard of the problem and that his company did not sell the Kryptonite brand of locks.

Kryptonite was founded in 1972 and is known as the originator of the U-shaped bicycle lock.

Bermuda Police Service had no comment when contacted.