| Your Locksmith |
| The one Thieves love to hate |
| Printed in Crime Prevention paper summer 1994 |
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| Professional locksmiths
spend their careers protecting their clients from crime. All to
often, according to many locksmiths, they are called to a home or
business that has recently been victimized. A 15 year veteran locksmith Andy Maglio owns Action Lock and Key in Roselle, Illinois. His beat is a middle class suburban area, hit by crime move often than its' well kept homes would seem to indicate. |
| William Rydzewski Owner of Hudson Valley Locksmith in upstate New York and a 18 year veteran locksmith also agrees with this article. |
| CRIME PREVENTION |
| Interviewed Andy to learn more about how you can protect yourself before being burglarized. |
| Q: What areas are commonly overlooked in home security? |
| A: There are three areas that people don't pay much attention to. The first and most overlooked is the landscape and surroundings of the home. Second is the condition or features of the doors. Third is patio door and window protection. |
| Q: You mentioned the conditions and features of the door. Can you explain? |
| A: First, I
look at the hardware. Is it functioning and operation correctly? If
not, it needs to be repaired or replaced. Important here, is the need for a deadbolt. A door knob is designed for convenience and minimal security. A knob lock alone is not secure enough. A deadbolt should have a 1" bolt that can fully extend into the strike area. Too often I find a door with a decent deadbolt where the strike area wasn't cut deep enough and the bolt does not go into the fully locked position. If the door knob and deadbolt are okay, I then inspect the frame for a reinforced strike. They say that a chain is onlly as strong as its weakest link. In the door this is usually the strike area of the door frame. This is the first area that gives in when a door is kicked or pried. |
| Q: What about a double deadbolt? |
| A: I recommend
not using a double deadbolt unless absolutely necessary. They should
only be used if there is glass near the lock allowing a burglar to
break the glass and reach in to unlock the deadbolt. However, These
locks can also lock people in the house, which is a danger in case
of fire. When people are home, a key should be left in or near the
lock for quick escape in case of an emergency. Another possibility for doors with glass in or around is the new safety films being produced. The films are very difficult to break through and I use this as a simple remedy that will allow a single deadbolt to be used near windows. |
| Q: Are there any other factors? |
| A: Yes, The homeowner should always have some means of identifying the person standing outside the door without having to open the door. Door viewers are probably the least expensive route to go. although video intercoms are becoming very popular. |
| Q: What about door chains? |
| A: Door chains might make the homeowner feel secure but they offer little protection . One Kick and they are gone. |
| Q: Is there anything else about the door you would like to add? |
| A: About 25 percent of burglaries happen when the burglar enters through an unlocked door or window. The homeowner must get into the habit of locking the doors and windows, even when they are home, during the day. |
| Q: What do you find are the weakest or hardest points to protect? |
| A: By far the
two hardest areas to secure are windows and patio doors. There are
so many styles and variations in window construction that it can
sometimes be difficult to find a good lock to match. This is one
reason I recommend that the homeowner speak with a reputable
locksmith before adding any security to the house. The locksmith
knows what works and what fits. Patio doors generally have two
vulnerable points of attack. The locks they come with are usually
pretty light and can be pried open with a large screw driver or pry
bar. The other weak point is that with the same pry bar the door can
be lifted off and removed from the track. Putting a cut-off rod behind the door won't stop the door from being lifted off the tracks. To stop this a secondary locks needs to be added. There are many locks on the market that are easy to operate even in an emergency and stop both the lifting and prying of the door. Like windows, though you have to understand all of the door's dimensions to make sure the lock will fit and operate correctly. That's why it's best to consult a locksmith for patio door protection. |
| Q: What about Alarms? |
| A: Alarms can deter crime. However, the first and most important step is to increase the physical security of the home. Then you can think about adding electronic security. An alarm detects in intruder at the point of entry or when they have already entered your home. The locksmith's job is to keep them out in the first place. |
| Q: Who can a homeowner turn to for information on securing the home? |
| A: A good source of information is the local locksmith. We often work with local police departments in crime prevention, and many of us offer free home security surveys. And, if desired, the locksmith can also supply and professionally install the security equipment. |
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Retyped by Locksmith
William Rydzewski
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