How to 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 a 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 DEATH-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 DEADLOCK: 1" deadbolt, single cylinder with hardened
cylinder guard, and thumb turn.
For extra security, a single cylinder deadbolt 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 deadbolt. 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" deadbolt 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
and bottom of the inactive door offers minimum security. Many
homes with pairs of doors, use half-barrel slidebolts 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 doors 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 pin, follow these
simple steps:
(1) Remove two screws, opposite each other, from both leaves of
the hinge. (2) Insert screw or concrete nail into jamb leaf,
protruding 1/2". (3) Drill out the opposing 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.
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