top-three-ways-a-burglar-breaks-in-to-your-home

3 Ways A Burglar Breaks In, 80 Percent Of The Time

top-three-ways-a-burglar-breaks-in-to-your-home

You may be surprised to discover these top 3 methods that a burglar will use to break into a home. 80 percent of the time, entrance is gained through one of the following ways:

 

1. THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR

Most burglars break into a home right through the front door!

A surprising number of homes do not have a ‘deadbolt’ lock while relying only on the door-knob lock itself. Don’t make it easy for the burglar – get a deadbolt lock installed to compliment your door knob lock.

Remember too, locks can be ‘picked’. Look for ‘bump proof’ locks which I’ve written about in the past: ‘Key bumping’. I upgraded my door locks after I moved to this home. Every little bit helps…

Install LONGER Screws in the door strike-plate. There’s an illustration here.

Consider door security devices to help prevent the door from opening, even if the lock is picked or someone tries to kick it in, like this simple device.

Door Security Bar Review & What I Like Most About It

Buddy Bar Door Jammer Review

 

2. THROUGH A WINDOW

The second most likely point of entry for the burglar is through a first floor window.

Particularly in the summer months, people tend to leave some of their windows open. It is a very common mistake to leave your windows open if you are running out for an errand. Most people don’t think about it. Shut and lock your windows when you leave, or when go to bed at night (especially the first-floor!).

If you have an air-conditioner in the 1st floor window, here’s an article detailing a simple way to secure it better so a burglar will have trouble pushing it in to gain entry.

 

3. THROUGH THE BACK DOOR

Often times the back door of a home is not as secure as the front door, and burglars know it. Do not overlook the back door. Secure it the same way as you would the front. And again, if you are running out on an errand, be sure to lock the back door when you leave.

 
Although statistically less likely, a burglar will also gain entry to your home through the garage, the basement, or a second floor window.

40 Comments

  1. Cardinal Gates Door Guardian

    Since I have a storage room door and a kitchen door leading from the garage into the house, I had to buy 4 of these. One front door and one back porch door.
    The screws are only 21/2 ” long, but one could get 3″ screws if wanted.
    I installed one in less than 5 minutes.

    I know if the criminal wants in, he’ll get in–but this at least will let me know he’s there.

    My friend was burglarized 3 times and the only ting not covered–the door!!!

    1. “I know if the criminal wants in, he’ll get in–but this at least will let me know he’s there.”

      You are exactly right! There’s no fool-proof way. But there are LOTS of things we can do to deter or slow them down!

  2. If you want to secure those uncommonly used doors, consider cutting solid wood ‘door stop wedges’ and insert them just below the lock set, head and threshold. Even if the lock is picked, will be much harder to push open and get in – burglar will become frustrated and figure there is an object on other side of door, preventing its opening.

    Don’t forget to lock the garage door – many burglars take that route as well. Especially for those whose door is not working and/or is left open..

    Good topic – look forward to other feedback.

    1. You are very right with the notion that a burglar may become frustrated and therefore move on to easier ‘prey’.

  3. Not many Burglaries occur where I live. But when they do it is usually through the front door which was left unlocked.

    1. Where I live too, a burglary is rare indeed. A burglar up here knows that he (or she) may likely lose their life, given our favorable adherence to the 2nd Amendment and one’s rights to defense of one’s self and property. Once in awhile I hear about one of the summer homes being burglarized – but that’s another situation altogether (an unoccupied home).

      1. Not many home burglaries in rural Wyoming, either, because everyone has a gun and we have a form of Castle Doctrine. Big cities such as Casper and Cheyenne (both over 50,000) are more at risk. And businesses. The pharmacy in our county seat lost 1,000 pills when someone broke into the cafe next door and through the wall of the restaurant into the drug store.

  4. Great topic Ken especially around the holiday season! We all need and use this as a reminder article.

    I live in suburbia in a home with lots of windows so I walk my dog daily and try to stay in touch with most of my neighbors, talk to the local poe – poe. ( sorry Dennis, I had to get that little dig in there.) I also buy the Girl Scout cookies and buy bake sale pies to stay involved in my local neighborhood/community.

    By doing so, I know who the “bad actors” are and a big part of my defense for the house is knowing the neighborhood surrounding my home. My dog is my ambassador ( a cute little spaniel.) and it sure beats sitting inside all day polishing guns and checking locks.

    Many of the local police are youngsters and I help them by dragging roadkill deer from the traffic lanes so they do not have to soil their Class A uniforms. They know me as a former cop and supporter of their work despite the “bad cop – no donut” jokes.

    1. That’s another reason why it’s a good thing (a very good thing) to be familiar with one’s neighbors. The good, the bad, the ugly. Everything. It provides great insight into the bigger security picture (as well as other things).

  5. One of the ladies at the propane company had a relative that served on a Grand Jury a few years ago. He told her that one of the cases was where a woman owned two houses right across the road from each other. She lived in one and rented the other one out. The tenant had not paid her rent in a while and the owner walked across the road with the intention of knocking on the door and attempting to collect the back rent. As she got close to the house, she could see in through the windows. There in plain sight were a few things that had recently been stolen from her own house!

    She called the law and things progressed from there until it reached the Grand Jury. One of the pieces of evidence (other than all of the stolen property they found in that house) was…

    A DETAILED map showing all of the houses in the area. Information on each house included the make, model, and description of all the vehicles, times when people left for work, when they returned, what days they were typically off, how many people lived in each home, general ages, etc.
    Her explanation for the map and all of the detailed information on each house? She had started her own “neighborhood watch”. They didn’t tell me if she had an explanation for the stolen property in her possession.

    Another thing I’ve learned is that an 8″ pipe wrench can make quick work of most door knob locks without much noise or effort. If you can afford it, get a locksmith to put in good deadbolts. The next best option would be to get some and install them yourself. I’ve been told the deadbolts locksmiths can get are superior to the ones we can buy at places like Lowe’s or Home Depot.

  6. I want to point out a little known fact about Home Invasions and subsequent burglary of personal items. And with Ken’ recent articles I believe this is a good time to review this.

    Usually around this time of the year a LOT of people are shopping and preparing for the upcoming festive days. Many of homes are stocking up for coming visitors, friends/family.

    Unfortunately there seems to be an ongoing problem with seeming “Career Felons”
    But for many MANY years a great number of homes are invaded, it seems food is actually the main focus of the thief.

    The entrance is somewhat different than all of the “usual” ways in, Doors, Windows, Back-Door, Garage-Door, etc that Ken has pointed out to us through these articles.

    Tis also interesting that this person or persons us an unusual means of traveling from home to home they invade for their “take”.

    With this said I know there have been many of years of research as to why this person only takes food items and no other seemingly valuable items and gifts that may be lying about in an odd manor about the home, mainly in the Living Room next to a warm fire or wood-stove.

    Additionally this invader seems to have a liking to Homemade Cookies and Milk…. Odd huh?

    So to get back on track to the article, please PLEASE make sure to secure the flue and chimney, It seems this fellow has some sort of flying device pulled by an odd looking animal, seems one of them even has a Red Nose…. WOW, talk about odd huh?

    Anyways he seems a little “Large” to actually fit down a HOT Chimney but he manages to do it every time all awhile toting a huge bag of “stuff” for the ‘little-ones’ BUT only the ones that have been “good”, again the occurrence gets even more stranger…..

    Now get this, one time a ‘little-one’ actually saw “Momma” kissing this dude.. REALLY!!!!! Talk about time to intervene huh? “HAY dude, get your hands off my wife” comes to mind.

    So for all those out there with “good” children and some Milk and Cookies setting on a plate in a couple of weeks, make DARN sure you keep an eye on that Chimney, and if you hear deer hooves on the roof.

    Well just roll over with a smile on your face and go back to sleep…… He may even bring you a new Truck, or at least a couple of ugly shirts…… hint hint hint.

    PS; How in the heck does that 400 pound dude fit through a 6” flue pipe?

    1. NRP, you had me going there…right up to the “homemade cookies and milk”…shoould have had the target be TP!!

      1. TP? I can visualize a guy on the corner in a trench coat saying “hey buddy, want to buy a roll?”
        But NRP does have the attributes to make a good Kris Kringle – see him part time at wally world in the paper goods section. .

        1. – I heard a rumor he used to be known as Mr. Whipple in the Charmin commercials! LOLOL
          – Papa S/

        2. I think I recognize him in one of those blue bear costumes on a TP commercial. Hope he get good royalties.

    2. NRP, the question of the day is,

      What is your favorite brand of TP

      Inquiring minds want to know.

      1. That may very well be classified information. I know for a fact that NRP’s place is marked as a ‘no fly over’ zone, something about anomalous gravity vectors due to TP-centric earth forces. I for one would not want to chance it.

  7. I know of crimes in which the assailant broke through a wall to enter a business.

    Layers of protection are the way to go. Outside fences ,motion detectors, lights, cameras, perimeter, heavy doors,locks protective films for windows, inside alarms,dogs and of course at least yourself with a firearm. Just my 2 cents.

  8. A great reminder article concerning home burglaries. Over the years we have had our business burglarized 10 times and our home 3 times. Needless to say I have a fairly low opinion of theives and burglars.Many good points have been made here about prevention. The determined ones will get in, our hope is to slow them down as much as possible .If you are at home during a break in ,every second you gain to sort things out is very precious and may be lifesaving for you .
    As has been mentioned before , know your neighbors , know the good ones as well as the bad ( if any).

    1. bluesman
      Tough neighborhood. Looks like you need the rollup metal shutters on everything like they use in third world countries or war torn countries.

      1. My family in China has bars on all the windows along with a solid steel door (no glass except peep hole) that is secured to concrete walls. Pretty much all people have bars on the windows. Some people think that they are safe if the live on the 15th or 20th floors. Burglars will climb the outside and break into those apartments without bars. After going through the place, they will take the stairs or elevator down. When I was there a few months ago, there was a big problem with break-ins at the apartment complex. It is hard to keep track of who is coming and going. The small complex I was at only had around 5,000 people. So, if a thief is determined, they will find a way.

      2. hermit us,
        We have since moved to a “quieter” area . All those break-ins happened during our working years in a different locale . It was a larger population area with far more drug issues , which is often the reason for the burglaries. The war on drugs is a complete facade , there is far too much $$$$$ involved at high levels of government to have it come to an end . IMHO Singapore has common sense drug laws , we do not .

  9. If a burglar is determined, then they will get in. But, after they get my house, they will have to get past the pit full of sharks that have lasers on their heads. 🤥

    1. You talking about Mr. Remington, Winchester, Ruger, Glock, …. or do you have relatives over for the holidays??? :)

      1. That plus relatives. Uncle Gatling and my little niece Derringer. Hehe

    2. – Now, now. If you talk like that, you are liable to make people think we are just as unsociable as Tommyboy with his cable. ROFL
      – Papa S.

      1. Papa S
        Nah, we are just a bunch of fun lovin people. I am not unsociable, I talk to the kitty cat running around in the house all the time. Hehe

  10. I remember reading a story about a guy that had a business that was broken into on a regular basis. He got some rattlesnakes or some kind of venemous snakes and used them as guard dogs for when the place was not open. Well, the place soon got broken into again. One was bit and died and another perpetrator was found on top of the shelves scared probably with a load in his pants. The owner was the one that got in trouble because of the death of the burglar. Supposedly, the owner got in trouble because he placed deadly animals in the business for the express purpose of inflicting harm on a wouldbe burglar.
    I guess so much for trying to protect your own property.

    1. Lots of those stories, proving that our world has truly gone insane. Like the burglar who sued the family whose house he broke into because he exited through the garage. No window, the garage door opener was broken and the house door locked behind him. He had to eat DOG FOOD until the family came home from vacation. Hmmm…

  11. I feel pretty safe. I have bars on all my windows, dead bolt storm doors in front of regular doors and an alarm system….and a Springer Spaniel in the yard who will bite. I live in poorer neighborhood so it’s not like folks think I’m protecting massive riches… I think burglars will look for an easier target.

  12. Design homes with an obvious easy access for burglars to find. But, this access leads to an entry atrium, or mud room, which is designed to allow the burglar in…but not out…keeping them imprisoned, when the self-closing door shuts behind them. Even if they have a sledge hammer, escape would be impossible in less than an hour. Such traps have been used with success in commercial applications, and such rooms exist in places like Walt Disney World, to protect key areas with access to control systems. I guess having a basement would allow one to use trap doors which you cleverly place in front of an open gun safe filled with reproductions…..

  13. A number of yrs ago, a local gun shop was broken into twice, both times a chain saw was used. The building was a type of a pole building/ similiar to a morton building, they cut right though a wall both times. Another gun shop had or they tried to break in, but the building was all concert construction with two 8 inch pipe filled with concert on both sides of the front door. The bad guys ramed the front door and managed to bust the entire door in but wedged their van so tight in between the 8 inch pipe that they took off on foot ( some one left his driver’s licence and wallet in the van and were later caught ).

  14. YouTube- Inside the Mind of a Thief/Burglar Confesses.
    By Allencitytv

  15. Installing cameras around the perimeter and a security system with signs is what my neighbors are doing and it seems to be a safer place because people are less enthusiastic about being caught on camera that way! At least burglar thinks twice about it and may pass it by because of the protection.

    1. To Bobwhite,
      I agree 100%. Security cameras (and security camera signs) are an excellent deterrent! The perpetrator won’t necessarily know where or how many cameras may be pointing their way… so on to easier targets.

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