I have a little sticker on the most obvious front window that says, "Protected by Smith & Wesson". It's next to the alarm co. sticker. The Smith & Wesson is a 40 S&W. It's kept loaded. (no kids at home) I'm not deeply concerned with a home intrusion while I'm here but we travel quite a bit.
Max
Bingo!! Just the sort of info I was seeking. Robert, you are a treasure.
Sometimes a guy comes here looking for advice when he has already made up...well somewhere between 50 and 90 percent...of his mind but would really like some confirmation. My many thanks,
Max
Did a job a few months back where the owner did extensive research on Locks and windows. Most of the Alarm Companies said most of the burglaries occurred at the front door, specially double doors with window. Kick in the door or break the window. Second windows opened and only protected by a screen. The owner is an engineer and he himself developed a screen that has very small signal wires running through it. When the screen is removed or cut it breaks a very small current and triggers the alarm. His concern was at night when it was cool and he wanted to leave his windows opened, also didn't want the window to trigger alarm every time you opened and closed windows. Think he's in the process of patenting it.
------------------------------------------------ How difficult is it to enter your locked home with the universal house key, a 16# sledge or a well thrown concrete block?
Would be a much higher priority than a lockset IMHO.
Lew
A good, current, insurance policy is a higher priority, IMO.
Um..... Am I being presumptuous to assume that you're about to tell me how to overcome those other deficiencies? I would be willing to re-prioritize. At this point, I feel as if I've done about all I can do with the windows and walls. Wrought iron window guards are ubiquitous in this town so as unsightly as they might seem, we have them. Also on the doors. But a chain hooked to a vehicle would likely overcome those. And a 16# sledge, as obvious as it might appear to neighbors, would wreak havoc on my brick veneer (actually "slump block") walls. I can only hope a neighbor, friend, relative, passerby or the police might wonder why someone is trying to dismantle my humble dwelling. Especially if the vibrations happen to set off the alarm. As Balderstone cleverly pointed out, "If someone wants in, they're coming in." I'm not really worried about them "coming" in. Not while I'm there. I can take care of that. It's when we're gone and they want to "get" in that concerns me. Seriously, all I'm looking for is a replacement for the cheap hardware that is on the house at present. And I'd rather not replace it with something just as cheap. Did you catch Robert's comments? Perfect.
Max
,wrote
Fully covered but I don't think it would replace a lot of personal items, i.e. pictures, collectibles, etc.
A sign in the front lawn pointing out the neighbor who doesn't believe in second-amendment rights and indicating that you will respect his wishes and not to use guns on his property, might work too.
Few thieves want your pictures. Collectables should have insurance riders. In most areas, and all I'd live in, fire is a bigger risk than burglaries. That said, I have been burglarized once but have never had a fire loss.
One guy I knew added a fired target. A human torso shaped target with the groin shot out.
Then add the appropriate rider.
That was a particularly useful response, wasn't it?
I saw a video years ago called B and E A to Z, all about how to get into places you don't have a key for. What an eye-opener, it showed most residential locks to be a complete joke so far as even a slightly experienced burglar is concerned. In addition a series of businesses I worked for were burglarized and that was highly educational as well--a steel-clad door barred from the inside doesn't matter much when they pry off a vent cover into the phone/electrical room and then cut through the wall with a battery-powered saw.
The thing about burglars is they look at a locked door in a totally different way than a law-abiding citizen. If you don't have a key you think you can't open that door, but a burglar thinks of the five ways he knows to open that door without a key. One of the simplest is to cut a chunk out of the door frame around the bolt so the door can be opened still locked with the bolt uselessly still in place--a hammer and chisel or a reciprocating saw renders even the best deadbolt pointless in moments if the door frame is that easy to get through.
As others have suggested whether or not the lock is pick-resistant is of less importance than how well the door and windows resist simple brute-force methods since you're far more likely to encounter a meth-head with a pry-bar than a cat-burglar with safe-cracking experience. In that regard your alarm is already your best defense, as even a meth-head will see the alarm sign and keep on going.
All too true. I am a retired Fire Chief. I spent 33 years on the job and as a rookie I rode a ladder truck. We were the guys with the axes. But in order to keep damage to a minimum, believe it or not, we tried a variety of different ways to gain entry other than extreme measures. There are ways the average homeowner would never imagine.
Max
------------------ Not at all, but locks keep honest people honest.
Beyond that, they are about as useful as a set of breasts on a boar hog.
If somebody wants in, they are coming in.
If it takes them more than 5 minutes to rob you blind, they are probably going to get caught.
Plan accordingly.
Lew
wrote
I have "scheduled" coverage for the collectibles but most of them are irreplaceable. And most burglaries result in damage to furnishings. Most of our furnishings are products of my workshop. Need I say more. I live in El Paso, TX. We have a Class 1 FD (the highest rating) I'm not worried about a fire. The burglary risk is higher. Juarez, Mexico is just across the river....er..... the stream...er.....often just the river bed. In truth, the burglary risk is relatively low, especially considering the location/environment. El Paso has a very low crime rate. But: "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."
Max
"J. Clarke" wrote
LOL. A mannequin might be a good idea too.
Max
wrote
LOL. This thread has resulted in some very interesting information.
Max
Put the good stuff close to the front door?
Max
Why do you want to do this?
If #1, consider burglar bars and doors. If #2, a 12-gauge would be cheaper.
Consider the Kwikset deadbolt with the numeric keypad. You can set it to automatically extend the deadbolt after some time interval, it's now self-handing and there's an LED to let you know the door's locked. I have the older model, which is great, but the newer one is smaller on the interior, easier to install and works fine. The key cylinder for Kwikset can also be mastered to any suitable key by the installer with no need for a locksmith.
I also second the thought that if a burglar wants in, he'll get in. However, the goal is to slow them down and force them to make as much noise as possible. With enough hassle facing him, he'll just go next door. With that in mind, I install my deadbolts and strike plates using long, hardened screws that go well into the crip. All you need to do is be careful to not overtighten them and warp the casing.
I once thought of Schlage as being good- better than Kwikset- but changed that misconception after installing 5 of their exterior door sets and deadbolts on my home in Raleigh. Within a couple years, the brass had turned black. I contacted Schlage and their attitude was, "Tough Luck, you're out of warranty. How about buying our NEW coated brass sets, which will never darken?" The words, Push, Cram and Shove came to mind.
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