OT Security of doube glazed windows

[Andy Coleman]

All,

Appologies if this is a bit off topic but I thought people here may be able to give me some good advice.

Last Friday afternoon my parents house got broken into. All of their windows are double glazed with locks. It seems the kids went around to the back of the house and managed to force open two windows despite them both being locked. They were eventualy thwarted by the alarm system going off when they entered the house and just did a runner.

I now have doubts about the security of the windows in my own house. We had new windows installed by Anglian about 2 years ago and one of the benefits was the added security. If these things can be just wrenched open then is this a false sense of security? I guess there is no stopping someone who is realy determined to enter the property but it would be nice to think that the locked windows are some deterrent.

Thanks Andy

[Jon]

Were the windows left in the vent position? Jon

[Martin Button]

I was broken in to just over a week ago. They basically prised open one of the top opening windows and had a scrote climb through to open another window for them.

I asked the glazier to check the windows while he was out quoting for repairs (I know him so I trust he will give me an honest evaluation). His opinion was that the windows they got in through were old and the locking style on them is not as good as the current locking mechanisms. In his opinion the new windows, provided they have been installed properly, shouldn't be able to be opened by force.

HTH

Bugs

[Dave Plowman]

Having just installed a Screwfix one, I'd agree. However, it wouldn't be that difficult given a decent sized wrecking bar to lever the whole damn thing out...

[The Natural Philosopher]

Window locks only serve to appease insurance companies, not to deter burglars.

Period.

[BigWallop]

If they don't want to break or cut the glass, then get some of these:

[BigWallop]

Exactly. If they want in, then they'll get in. It's amazing what a trained burglar can do with a piece of box banding these days.

[Andy Coleman]

No they were not.

Andy

[Paul King]

Cilla Black (the entertainer) was burgled and robbed of several millions pounds of jewelry etc. Her insurance has refused to pay out because her groundfloor windows didn't have locks on them. The fact that the burglars DIDN't enter via the windows had NOTHING to do with it!!!

[David Hearn]

If that really is the case, then I'm sure that she's have valid case against them for an unfair contract. Are they going to void a claim when a tree falls on a house because they failed to have window locks? The only thing I can think of is if she said she had window locks on the insurance application. This is pretty much what Major Millionaire did with his recent spell in court. Their claim of insurance fraud was not because his claim was not valid - it was that he'd not put down some previous claims on his initial application, and therefore the insurance wasn't valid - and that was the crime.

D

[Simon Gardner]

Insurance companies normally behave like this. Personally, I won't waste the money - beyond the minimum.

[Dave Plowman]

Didn't they get the jewellery out of a safe after beating the combination or keys out of her son?

[Scott M]

External hinges? Common on cheapo windows and rather vulnerable AIUI.