PSA: Your Doggy Door Could Be Inviting in Burglars
It’s probably safe to assume that most people don’t want to be robbed, but unfortunately burglaries occur about once every 30 seconds, according to the FBI. And in many cases, those burglars simply walk right in. “About 34 percent of burglars always go for the front door to see if it was left unlocked, with 30 percent gaining entry without force—through an unlocked door or window,” Kim Wright, director of corporate security at ADT and a former FBI Special Agent, says.
Generally speaking, homes often aren’t all that secure. “Any entry point in your home, whether it is a door, window, or even a dog door, could be considered an access point,” Jonah Serie, senior vice president of field operations from Brinks Home Security, says. “The most common are doors or low windows, but it’s important to recognize that burglars can often determine any type of weakness in a home and exploit it.”
We’ve asked the experts to share the most common access points burglars use to enter your home—and how you can help prevent an unwanted entry through them.
For more ways to protect your home:
It’s probably safe to assume that most people don’t want to be robbed, but unfortunately burglaries occur about once every 30 seconds, according to the FBI. And in many cases, those burglars simply walk right in. “About 34 percent of burglars always go for the front door to see if it was left unlocked, with 30 percent gaining entry without force—through an unlocked door or window,” Kim Wright, director of corporate security at ADT and a former FBI Special Agent, says.
Generally speaking, homes often aren’t all that secure. “Any entry point in your home, whether it is a door, window, or even a dog door, could be considered an access point,” Jonah Serie, senior vice president of field operations from Brinks Home Security, says. “The most common are doors or low windows, but it’s important to recognize that burglars can often determine any type of weakness in a home and exploit it.”
We’ve asked the experts to share the most common access points burglars use to enter your home—and how you can help prevent an unwanted entry through them.
For more ways to protect your home:
Through Front or Back Doors
“Most criminals are amateurs and are looking for the path of least resistance,” Jeff Ketelaars, cofounder of security job resource Security Guards Only, says. They’re not trying to “break” in, per se, just walk in. And if you don’t lock your front or back door, that makes entering incredibly easy for them.
“One common tactic they use is to knock on the door to see if anyone is home. If someone answers the door, they ask if a ‘friend named so-and-so’ lives there and leave when the homeowner tells them no,” former SWAT commander Gene Petrino, co-owner of consultancy Survival Response, LLC, says. “If no one answers, they will check to see if the door is locked. Surprisingly, many times, they walk right in. If the door is locked, they will either force entry or go around to the back of the house and find another door or window.”
The takeaway? Always lock your doors!
Related: 50 Prettiest Colors to Paint Your Front Door
Through Sliding Doors
While many sliding doors have locks, these locks are usually fairly feeble and can be forced open with relatively little strength. You can see an example in this Instagram video shared by retired police officer Michael Arterburn, known as “Killer Bee Tactical” on social media.
Arterburn suggests a simple solution to help deter this kind of forced entry: a wooden dowel or security bar placed in the track of the door, which makes it vastly more difficult to open. Make sure it’s the right length—there shouldn’t be any gaps.
Related: 15 Chic Window Treatments for Sliding Glass Doors
Through Windows
If you leave a window unlocked, a burglar can open it and enter your home. But locking up isn’t the only way you can make your windows more secure. “Homes that have low visibility to the street or access points with low visibility are more likely to be targeted. Poorly lit entry points or windows with overgrown landscaping can provide hiding places for burglars while they compromise windows or doors,” Wright says. “Ensure you have proper lighting at night and keep shrubbery trimmed below the bottom of windows. Never leave tools, ladders, or anything that a burglar could use to assist in access.”
Related: 16 Low-Maintenance Front Yard Landscaping Ideas
Through Garage Doors
Arterburn also shared via Instagram video just how easy it is for burglars to exploit garage doors. Many garage doors are not particularly secure, especially ones with windows. To that end, you should always lock the door in your garage that leads into your home, if there is one, both when you’re home and when you’re away. “Your garage door deadbolt is the most important lock in your home,” Arterburn wrote in the video caption.
Related: 25 Garage Storage Ideas That’ll Free Up a Parking Spot
Through the Doggy Door
Doggy doors, like this one in our 2018 Whole Home, are wonderful assets for pet owners and their furry BFFs. However, they can make your home more vulnerable if they’re not properly secure.
“Pet doors are vulnerable entry points for burglars who can just crawl through the opening to gain unlawful access to the interior of the house because they are designed to stay open during the day or when pets are active,” says Pat Ahern, chief marketing officer of Security Explorer, a platform for security guard services. Ahern notes that burglars may also try to force entry through locked pet doors. “We always advise clients to consider either replacing them with reinforced, tamper-resistant models or removing them completely if they don't have pets that need such an opening.”
Related: If You Have A Pet, You Need This Doggy Room
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