Home Burglar Deterrents – What do burglars look for when they are casing a home for illegal entry?

Home Burglar Deterrents  – If you have solid doors and windows that have been upgraded to make it difficult to break into by a burglar, chances are they will just move on and look for another home that is easier to break into! Burglars are looking for the easy score and will avoid difficult to enter places. Unless they specifically are aware of valuables that you may have they will just move on.

Check and Secure Your Doors

Selling Your HomeSomeone who wants to get into your home is going to come through the doors or the windows. It is going to be quick and efficient unless your door is solid and is dead bolted to a secure door frame. Our neighbors had their home broken into. All it took was a solid kick by the burglar to the door right at the lock location. The kick broken the  door jam and they were in with in 10 seconds. The door was then closed and no one knew the difference from outside. the moral of the story is

  • Install a solid steel door
  • Make sure your door has a solid lock on it
  • Make sure that the door jam is also made of solid material that cannot be easily broken
  • Install several locks on the door
  • Remember they may come in the front door, but they can easily come in side doors or the sliding glass door at the back of the home.

If you want to strengthen these doors you can also  install 2-1/2 to 3 inch stainless steel or nickel plated screws in all your exterior door jams. Be sure screws go at least 1-3/4 inch deep into the underlying framing lumber.

While you are  at it, consider getting heavy duty strike plates or a door reinforcement kit sold in many larger home improvement centers.

Home Burglar Deterrents


Sliding Glass Doors

Sliding glass doors are  a favorite target. All you need to do is lift the door  up and out and your burglar is inside your secure your sliding glass doorhome. No noise and no fuss. You can prevent this by

  • By installing several screws into the door’s upper track to allow just enough of the screw’s head protruding to allow free movement without allowing the door to be removed.
  • Several devices can be installed into the door’s upper or lower track that acts much like a dead bold by running a heavy pin through the door track and deep into the frame.
  • A length of old broom handle at a 45 degree angle in the door track also prevents the door from easily being forced open and works nearly as well!

Burglars Also Like Garage Doors

Electronic door openers make it very difficult for burglars to break in through your garage door. They cost around $150 and make it practically impossible to force open the overhead door from the outside without breaking through the actual door panels. Yes, it is possible for burglar to punch in the right code and gain access, unless you did not change the pre-installed settings.  Today’s remote controls have so many possible combinations, the odds are very slight, and the burglar won’t waste the time trying all the possibilities.

The key as we have mentioned is to  change the security code from the pre-installed settings which are almost always set to zeros.

Keep Windows Secure

Burglars will break windows as a last resort – or by accident. The preferred method is cutting an access hole or slipping in a thin stiff wire and undoing the locking device.

Most double hung windows have cheap locks which should be replaced. Use heavy duty sash locks or even keyed locks, if you can put up with the inconvenience. An old trick is installing a small eye bolt in either corner. If done correctly the window can’t be opened, with the eye bolt in place from the outside. Of course you could screw the window shut by drilling a hole through the frame. But it defeats the purpose of having a window, and presents a fire hazard. Not recommended.

Many people install roll-a-way electric security shutters, or decorative security grates. The main negative is they can prove to be a serious fire hazard and prevent your escape, especially if you lose power. Newer models install on tracks or can easily be pushed open from inside. This decreases their danger in the event of fire and the thick smoke sure to accompany it.

Inventory Your Home

The above steps can go a long way to protecting your home. But no matter how secure your residence is, if a professional burglar has targeted your home the unthinkable may still happen. To aid law enforcement agencies and greatly assist in insurance claims you should maintain a detailed household inventory of all your valuables.

It is impossible for you to recall all of the items you have in your home. The big things are easy, but do you know the model number of your electronic items. How about the year you bought them and the value of them. Probably not and this is were having a detailed  inventory can be a big help

Mark important items with some permanent identifying mark using a variety of simple tools. You can rent some of these that will engrave serial numbers. Engrave driver’s license number or some other unique marking into your valuables.

  • Detailed inventory
  • Mark items with an identifying mark
  • Video or picture inventory is helpful
  • Close up videos of important or valuable items
  • Tie them in with a family member in the picture
  • Update the tape or pictures each time you add items to your home
  • Keep the pictures or tape somewhere off site so they are available in case there is fire. Or your home is destroyed by a tornado or hurricane