The most common entry point of a burglar into your home is a door. Once they get into your home they have to carry out of it what they steal, so why not prepare a fast exit route, a door.
A friend of mine had these cute little decorative frogs just outside his back door. They had a “secret” compartment in them. Looking at then the compartment it was so very obvious they had a compartment. When his neighbor went to check on his house the key was gone out of the frog and the back door wide open. DON”T hide a key ANYWHERE. Thieves will find it.
Do not tell anyone when or where you are going on vacation. This man told the whole town of his plans. At the coffee shop you never know who may be listening. You never know when even a friend might inadvertantly tell someone and it is overheard by the wrong person. Tell everyone about your trip after you get home. It will make a better story anyway.
Some sliding glass doors can be lifted out of their track. Some people put a broom handle or a stick in the track. This prevents the door from being slid open but it does not prevent the door to be lifted. You can get a kit at your local hardware store that will stop a thief from lifting the door. You have to drill a small hole through the track and door. Then put a steel peg or nail through it. This will prevent the door from being lifted out of it’s track.
A door that opens out could be a problem. The hinges are exposed to the outside. It is possible to remove the pins of the hinges and therefore the door can be opened from the hinge side. There are two ways to prevent this. Normally there are four screws in each hinge. Remove the middle screw of the middle hings on both the door and the door jam. Drill a hole the size of the screw hole into the door jam where you removed the screw. Then drive a finish nail into the door where you removed the door screw. Leave the nail sticking out of the door about 1/4 inch. When the door is closed the finish nail will go into the hole you drilled in the door jam. Now the door cannot be removed.
Windows can also be protected by drilling a small hole throught the window into the window casing. Place a nail into the hole and be sure it goes into the casing. Leave the nail sticking out so it can be removed from inside the home in case of an emerancy.
Lock ALL windows even the upstair ones. So many people don’t lock the second story windows or even leave them open. Then leave a nice extension ladder out in the yard. Or your neighbor provides the ladder for the thief. How many of your neighbors have a ladder in their back yard?
Sliding glass windows can be protected the same way I described the protection for a sliding door.
Finally, installing a good sturdy storm/security door is a excellent way to keep your property protected. Remember, most thieves are lazy. They don’t want to do extra work to break into your home. They see the security door and say it’s not worth the effort or the time it will take to to break in. I’ll go next door they don’t have one.
