Three recent incidents where burglars kicked in
homeowners' doors have experts offering advice for ways to keep thieves out of
your house.
Sunday, News4Jax shared the story of a man and
woman whose home was burglarized while the couple was at the hospital,
welcoming their first baby into the world.
The thieves got in by kicking in the door,
stealing appliances, televisions and even baby clothes.
A city crime map of the couple's neighborhood
showed there were 22 residential and commercial burglaries within a half-mile
radius of the couple's home.
Experts say locking a door might seem like the
common sense thing to do to keep people out, but oftentimes it's not enough.
“We always recommend a deadbolt above an
existing knob lock,” said Gary Seliger of Piner's Lock & Safe.
Seliger said adding a few extra things to a door
can make a huge difference, starting with a door strike plate. It's designed to
better protect the bolt from any friction, but according to Seliger, most doors
come with a tiny strike plate with really small screws. For $11, homeowners can
get a heavy duty strike plate with longer screws, and for $35 a door jamb
reinforcer, which is even better.
“Kicking in the door, you'd have to take almost
the door from here to here, frame kicked in, as opposed to just a couple of
inches,” Seliger said.
Seliger said it's also important to have a
deadbolt that's made of steel and to be sure whoever installs it makes sure
there's enough room for the deadbolt to fully extend into the door frame.
“(If the deadbolt isn't fully extended), if
anyone gets a screwdriver and gets into your frame and gets the end of the
bolt, they push it right back and they're into your house,” Seliger warned.
Seliger said homeowners can also invest in a
Medeco lock and key, which costs a little more than $200. A standard key's cuts
are all the same with different heights, but a Medeco key has cuts that go left,
right and straight across, making it nearly impossibly to pick.
Seliger's company offers free home security chek-ups that include
checking doors, windows, locks and keys. For more information or to request a
check-up, call 904-398-1646. The business is located at 3861 Hendricks Ave. in
Jacksonville.
News4Jax crime and safety analyst Gil
Smith said when going out of town, it's important not to make that public and
to always have someone keep an eye on the house.
1. Crooks will look for
the vulnerable home: one without deadbolts, one with an open door, a broken
window, or one without a home security system.
2. It is not expensive to
take the basic steps toward securing your home. Keep the main points of entry
locked with deadbolt locks.
3. Remember who has copies
of the keys to your home. Change locks if keys are lost or stolen. If you've
recently moved in, change all door locks as soon as possible.
4. Be sure to draw the
shades and leave a radio or television on when no one is home. Install lighting
with timers. Ask a neighbor to park a car in your driveway.
5. Always request
identification from service or utility workers. Potential thieves don't always
look like “thugs.”
6. At night, keep your
garage and the path to your home well-lit. Trim the landscaping and make sure
there are no areas for someone to easily hide.
7. To avoid being
surprised, look around and make sure that no one followed you into the garage
before stepping out of your car.
8. Get involved in
Neighborhood Watch programs. They work! Get to know your neighbors. Report
suspicious people to the police.
9. Make sure you have
high-security locks on all exterior doors. Use high-security locks on desks and
cabinets. Purchase a safe for keeping valuables, records and keepsakes.
10. Make sure no one can
copy your house key(s) without your knowledge and permission.