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Security Information - Doors
- A quality heavy-duty wooden or steel clad door is a must on all
exterior doors. Avoid light aluminum, or hollow core or composition board doors. These
doors are not effective deterrents because suspects can easily beat them in. When you install
a quality deadbolt lock in a flimsy door you are defeating the purpose of the lock.
- Sliding Glass Doors provide a particularly easy target for burglars
and are a favored point of entry. The locks generally found installed on these doors can be
quickly pried open. These doors can also be removed from their tracks unless they are properly
secured.
- To prevent the removal of these doors, install 1-¼ inch large head sheet metal screws in the
upper door track at both ends and in the middle so that the frame just clears the head of
the screws when the door is in motion. To secure the door in position, holes can be drilled
at a downward angle in the overlapping part of the doorframes at the top center part. Then
insert a heavy nail.
- Inspect doorframes and repair and split or rotting wood.
Wooden frames need to be at least 2 inches thick; use longer screws in the lock
strike area of the door as well. This will help secure the door when a suspect kicks or
pries on it making it stronger and tougher to force open.
Locks
- A good quality lock is one of the best ways you can secure
your residence from unwanted guests. Although no lock is foolproof, the harder it is for
the suspect to make entry the more of a deterrent affect it causes.
- A chain latch on a door is virtually useless for home
security. These latches can be easily ripped off the door with the slightest pressure
placed on them. The best way to view someone at the door is to install a peephole
instead.
- The most common type lock used in many homes and
apartments is the key in knob, or spring latch type. Even even the most
amateurish burglar easily defeats this lock. A simple credit card or screwdriver
inserted between the latch and strike plate will allow entry to the residence in
a matter of seconds. A quality deadbolt lock is a must if you have one of these
type locks.
Windows
- Just as in the sliding glass door
instructions, you should take steps to secure your windows with
additional locking mechanisms to supplement the locks that came with the
windows. Holes can be drilled, and nails inserted for added security.
Storm windows also offer a measure of added security in that a burglar
may pass up a house with storm windows when he realizes that he will
need to defeat two sets of windows to make entry.
© 2006 Richland County Sheriff's Department |