Vehicle door lock with improved anti-theft features

A vehicle door lock assembly comprising:

• a latch (12) for mounting one a vehicle door, said latch having at least one release lever for effecting releasing of said latch and at least one locking lever (14) for locking the latch, disabling said release lever, and unlocking the latch, enabling said release lever,
• a compound linkage (20, 24) operatively engaging said locking lever (14),
• a lock cylinder (30) having a spindle (28) engaging said compound linkage, said spindle being rotatable in response to keyed rotation of a matched key received by said lock cylinder to drive said compound linkage to effect movement of said locking lever (14), and axially slidable to disengage said spindle from said linkage, and
• a hollow shield (34) shrouding said at least one locking lever (14), said compound linkage and said engagement between said compound linkage and said spindle, preventing access thereto, characterized by said compound linkage comprising a link (24) and a rod (20) pivotally connected thereto, said link (24) engaging said spindle (28), said link (24) pivots away from said spindle (28) to be spaced therefrom when said lock cylinder (30) is retracted from said assembly,
• wherein said hollow shield (34) separates said rod (20) from said lock cylinder (30) and has a first chamber (38) communicating with a second chamber (40) through an access port (42), said first chamber (38) housing said rod (20) and said link (24) extends through said access port (42) from said first chamber (38) to said second chamber (40), said access port (42) sized to permit said pivotal movement of said link (24) and to prevent said rod (20) from entering said second chamber (40).