Burglar-Proof Your Doors
The majority of devices
mentioned in this report cost very little. All of them will help reduce burglary
and make your house or apartment more secure.
Begin with a home
"security" check. Start with the front door and work clockwise around the entire
inside of your home, finishing with the back yard, fence and shrubs, gates and
garage.
Shrubbery should never
block the view of your front door. This allows an intruder the opportunity of
privacy to gain entrance. A wide angle viewer in the door lets you know your
visitor in advance. This item is recommended over a chain lock.
LOCKS, BOLTS AND
HINGES -
A
DEAD-LATCH is an
inexpensive lock set which keeps the burglar from simply slipping your door open
with a plastic credit card. This method of entry is common in many areas, but
very easy to prevent.
AUXILIARY
DEADBOLT: 1"
deadbolt, single cylinder with hardened cylinder guard, and thumb turn.
For extra security, a
single cylinder dead bolt lock, with one inch throw and case-hardened insert, is
recommended for all exterior doors. If you have easily breakable glass within 40
inches of a deadbolt lock, it should be augmented with a stronger type of glass
or plastic to provide adequate security.
Most police departments do
not recommend deadbolt locks for residential use. You may be adding additional
security at the expense of personal safety with a double cylinder dead bolt. For
example, you could lock yourself in and not be able to escape in case of fire or
other emergency.
THE RIM
LOCK is a 1" dead
bolt lock which is installed on the inside surface of the door. It is less
expensive than other types of locks, but equally effective for security.
THE "JIMMY-PROOF" RIM
LOCK is another
lock which is installed on the inside surface of the door. But this lock has
vertical dead bolts, which is an approved locking device.
CANE
BOLTS: 1/2" in
diameter by 12" high installed at the top & bottom of the inactive door
offers minimum security. Many homes with pairs of doors, use half-barrel slide
bolts on the inactive door. These are weak and totally inadequate.
Flush
Bolts: Installed at
the top and bottom of the inactive door or a pair of doors, flush bolts offer
additional security since the intruder cannot get at these devices to tamper
with them if the door are locked.
Hinge
Protection:
Some exterior doors are
improperly installed so that the hinges are installed from outside. To protect
such a door from being lifted from its hinges by pulling the hinge pins, follow
these simple steps:
(1) Remove two screws,
opposite each other, from both leaves of the hinge.
(2) Insert screw or
concrete nail into jamn leaf, protruding 1/2".
(3) Drill out the opposite
screw hole in the door. Do this in the top and bottom hinge of the door. When
closed, the hinge pins may be removed, but the door will remain firmly in
place.