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Reinforcing Your Doors Security (Part 3 of 3)

Frightening Statistics:

1 of every 5 homes will experience a break-in or violent home invasion.

80% of break-ins occur forcibly through a locked door.

burglary occurs every 15 seconds in the United States.

This is why installing multiple layers of protection including a home security alarm, door reinforcement and numerous other methods are fundamental to your homes security.

In a recent post I discussed 5 different kinds of door reinforcement devices and then focused on door frame reinforcement. Here I’m reviewing door brace options. Door braces are usually floor mounted alloy metal devices that come in two parts. One is the horizontal floor plate screwed right in the floor and the other is a vertical plate that inserts in the floor plate tightly fit up against the door.

I called Mr. Jordan Frankel known as The Security Sensei of ShatterGARD Glass Protection, Inc. A Division of Global Security Experts to review the OnGARD Security Door Brace. Jordan is a passionate inventor and well sought after expert in home security worldwide. In our conversations he was flying between Saudi Arabia, China and somewhere stateside. He’s like the Thomas Edison of home security.

I’ve known of door braces for some time now. Usually they are a “door bar jammer” which are installed under the doorknob and pitch to a 45 degree angle to the floor. The OnGARD Security Door Brace is in a another league.

What I like most about this device is simply how difficult it becomes for a 250 pound man to kick in your door. The device installs on the floor with four heavy screws and you’re done. It works best when you are home as this device essentially (for lack of a better tem) barricades you in. I asked Jordan how else this would work if I wanted to keep it installed when I leave the home and he suggested if you have a garage door then enter and exit through the garage, which makes perfect sense. The OnGard is less than a foot wide and 4 inches tall but is a beast. I like a door brace in combination with door frame reinforcement to add 2 effective layers of door reinforcement security.

I’m sleeping even better these days.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to Home Security Source discussing burglar proofing your home on Fox Boston. Disclosures.

 

Reinforcing Your Doors Security (Part 2 of 3)

In a recent post I discussed 5 different kinds of door reinforcement devices. In this post I’m going to review a door frame reinforcement device by Door Devil. I reached out to other manufacturers of door frame reinforcement and only Nick Fairless from Door Devil was kind enough to respond and send out a device to test.

The Door Devil Anti Kick Door Jamb Security Kit is made of a 1/16“ heavy steel and is 4 feet in length and is installed on the door jamb center, right over the exiting strike plates. Standard door security is comprised of (2-4) small screws through 1-2 small strike plates attached to a thin door frame. A strong kick focuses on this single weak point and easily blows apart the door frame. That’s why kick-ins are (by far) the #1 tactic for home invaders.

|Door Jamb fortified with Door Devil™ provides additional security with:

1) 48″ steel door jamb reinforcement replaces 3″ brass strike plate

2) Force is diffused across 4 feet of the door frame

3) 3.5″ heavy screws drive into 2×4 studs behind door frame

4) 3″ screws reinforce hinges – provide extra door security

What I like most about the door frame reinforcement technology is that it’s always there. Meaning there are no moving/additional parts, it requires no effort other than an initial install and then locking your doors. By itself the Door Devil is one layer of security in addition to a home security alarm and cameras and does a great job. Keep in mind that after about a minute of kicking and shouldering a door, most burglars would give up.

There is one more layer of door security I’d recommend in the category of “door brace” discussed in post 3.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to Home Security Source discussing ADT Pulse on Fox News. Disclosures

 

Reinforcing Your Doors Security (Part 1 of 3)

This question often comes up in my seminars “How can I completely burglar proof my home?” And the answer is tricky. There is no such thing as 100 percent security which “burglar proofing” suggests.

However burglar proofing can conceivably be achieved if you consider that most burglars don’t have the necessary wherewithal or tools to compromise some heavy duty layers of installed protection like shatter proof glass, heavy doors, security cameras, monitored home alarm system and good strong locks. And you can certainly do lots of other creative things to reduce risk.

One weakness that almost everyone has is their doors. Even with good locks, kicking in a door isn’t all that difficult. All that separates a burglar or home invader is about ¾ inch pine and the stock strike plate with ½ inch screws that comes with the deadbolt and doorknob. It’s pretty scary when you actually take a look at some of the videos these companies produce showing how easy it is to kick in a door.

There are basically 5 different kinds of door reinforcement devices:

Door knob/dead bolt wraps. These are devices that are installed on the door itself strengthening the area around the locks.

Door braces. These are usually floor mounted alloy metal devices that come in two parts. One is the horizontal floor plate screwed right in the floor and the other is a vertical plate that inserts in the floor plate tightly fit up against the door.

Door bar jammers. These are bars that fit under the doorknob and pitch to a 45 degree angle to the floor.

Strike plates. These are generally no more than 3-4 inches long and are thicker than a regular strike plate.

Door frame reinforcement: These are often made of steel and are up to 4 feet in length and are installed on the door jamb center, right over the exiting strike plates.

I’ve recently had the privilege of talking to two different companies that offer door reinforcement devices. Each has a different style brace for a different application, and both are designed to keep the bad guy out. More on those in parts 2 and 3.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to Home Security Source discussing ADT Pulse on Fox News. Disclosures

Dumb Ankle Monitor Wearing Home Invader Busted

If you ever decide to get all hopped up on drugs and seek some extra cash to feed your fix, I’d suggest not wearing your governmental department of corrections court ordered previously installed GPS ankle-monitoring bracelet to your next home invasion.  Chances are you’ll get caught.

But as tongue and cheek funny this may be, this home invader “leveled a shotgun at a young couple and their infant child.”

It’s scary to know that hardened criminals are only tethered by a “signal” and don’t care about getting caught.

Companies that provide ankle bracelets set up their products to send a signal to a GPS satellite every minute to track its location. That information is logged into a data base. If the “tracker” which could be a parole officer or law enforcement has the system set to notify them if the criminal is outside of their required boundaries, police are dispatched.

But in many situations criminals with GPS ankle bracelets can roam free. It’s only when they cut the bracelet off that a signal is sent to the devices last location.

Here are 5 tips to help keep you safe and prevent a home invasion:
1. Never talk to strangers via an open or screen door. Always talk to them through a locked door.

2. NEVER let children open the doors. Always require and adult to do it.

3. Install a home burglar alarm and keep it on 24/7/365. With a home alarm system on, when someone knocks on the door, a conscious decision has to be made to turn off the alarm. Most people will keep it on.

4. Not all home invaders knock, some break in without warning.  Just another reason to have that alarm on.

5. Install a 24-hour camera surveillance system. Cameras are a great deterrent.  Have them pointed to every door and access point.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist toHome Security Source discussing ADT Pulse on Fox News. Disclosures

Daylight Back to Back Burglaries In Same Town

Most people think that burglaries happen at night, in the dark when burglars can creep undetected. But the reality is most burglaries happen during the day when you are at work. Burglars work too, in the day, 9-5, like you. This is why a home security alarm is so important.

In Warwick Rhode Island police are on the lookout for someone who forced their way into two homes that apparently didn’t have home security systems. Why in 2011 someone doesn’t have an alarm that sends a shrieking siren and calls the police is just mind boggling to me. Anyway the burglars apparently spent a significant amount of time there because they turned everything upside down and were able to steal “large quantities of jewelry, laptops and other electronic equipment from the properties.”

The statement “large quantities of jewelery, laptops and other electronic equipment” is further distressing because these people were naïve enough to believe they wouldn’t be targeted and didn’t even have the sensibility to get a safe!

In one instance the burglars broke a window near a door and were able to reach inside and get a key that was in the lock! Anyone that has a door surrounded by glass should invest in a window film glass protecting product called “Shattergard” that makes it difficult for a bad guy to simply break a window and reach in.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to Home Security Source discussingADT Pulse on Fox News. Disclosures

Burglar Hits 60 Houses in 60 Days

Police in Morristown NJ have a prime suspect in mind which they call an “opportunist”. Sometimes the burglar breaks in by using a crowbar or breaking a window but mostly he just goes in through an unlocked door or window.

He’s going after the standard gold jewelry and laptops, stuff that’s easy to fence.

But what makes this story so interesting is the police know who he is but can’t arrest him.  The police Chief was quoted saying “This is a person who knows video surveillance very well and knows technology very well, and he does this for a living and he doesn’t want to get caught.”

The neighbors were quoted as saying stuff like “we never see a police car around” etc and the police respond by saying “the government can’t do everything anymore, the chief said. “We simply need more help from the communities we serve. Most of it is eyes and ears, and picking up the phone.”

The Chief suggested everyone pay attention and even start a neighborhood watch.

Readers of these posts know I’m all about taking personal responsibility. And while law enforcements role is to serve and protect, it is impossible to have a police car parked in every driveway. The fact that this neighborhood doesn’t even have a neighborhood watch in place is telling. These are people who simply aren’t proactive. Windows and doors are unlocked, and it seems residents don’t have home security alarms either.

But I’ll be they are installing them now.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist toHome Security Source discussingADT Pulse on Fox News Live. Disclosures

 

Nicolas Cage’s First Hand Home Invasion Experience

 

Apparently Nicolas Cage at one time didn’t believe in home security systems. He recently filmed a movie called “Trespass” about thieves’ who con their way into the opulent mansion where Cage’s character lives with his unhappy wife (played by Nicole Kidman) and their daughter, Reuters reports. The tagline for the title is: “When terror is at your door, you can run, or you can fight.” I recommend running.

Cage was quoted saying “It was two in the morning. I was living in Orange County at the time and was asleep with my wife. My two-year old at the time was in another room. I opened my eyes and there was a naked man wearing my leather jacket eating a Fudgesicle in front of my bed,” he told reporters. “I know it sounds funny … but it was horrifying.”

Doesn’t sound funny to me at all. Luckily the man was capable of being talked to and Cage talked him out of the house. Police arrived and arrested him. The man was relatively harmless, he was mentally ill.

Cage was also quoted saying that after the incident he could no longer stay in that home and has since moved.

People whose homes are burglarized or homes invaded often feel a constant sense of un-ease in a home that has been violated like that. Your home is your castle and is supposed to be a place of relief, solitude, safety and security from the sometimes big, bad, ugly, world. When it’s “soiled” like that, the stink never goes away.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to Home Security Source discussingADT Pulse on Fox News. Disclosures

Celine Dions Burglar Takes a Bath

The burglar apparently sauntered up her driveway and jiggled the door of an unlocked car in the driveway. The door was open and of course the keys were in the ignition along with the garage door opener.

This was all the burglar needed to open the door, head inside and make himself a tasty snack (pastries, I love pastry, I’m Italian you know.). Meanwhile as he’s munching away he drew himself a nice warm bubble bath. I’ll bet Celine Dion has nice bubbles and a nicer bath. Must be as big as my whole first floor.

Celine actually had a home alarm, but apparently it doesn’t have a siren, I don’t know. Or maybe the burglar was hard of hearing.

A monitored home security system can be as little as $99.00 installed then a dollar a day for monitoring. Celine Dion probably makes $99.00 in a matter of seconds when she’s headlining and performing at the Coliseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

For the short money that a home alarm costs, she should have one that has a siren. Ya think?

Fortunately for the Dion’s, they were traveling. If you travel away from your home:

  • Don’t leave your keys in your unlocked car in your driveway.
  • Use timers on indoor and outdoor lights.
  • Let a trusted neighbor and the police know you are traveling.
  • Unplug garage door openers.
  • If grass is still growing where you live and if you’re gone for a bit have a landscaper mow your lawn.
  • Don’t share your travel plans on social media or on a voicemail outgoing message.
  • Lock everything of significant value in a safe.
  • Invest in a home security camera system and home security alarm system.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to Home Security Source discussingADT Pulse on Fox News Live. Disclosures

82 Year Old Man Shoots Burglars, Faces Charges

Guns, guns, guns. Americans love their guns. Guns definitely are a layer of security. They can save your life and they can also be used against you and they can also get you in lots and lots of trouble.

An elderly man is now facing two counts of armed assault with intent to murder, two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building for shooting 2 people outside of his home. He believed they were trying to get in, and his belief was affirmed when one of them tossed a boulder through one of his windows.

His attorney stated “This is the victim here, an 82-year-old man with no criminal record. He defended life and property.”

The Assistant District Attorney was quoted saying “We don’t live in a place where you can just fire from a window. It is fortunate no one died.”

True.

It definitely isn’t a good idea to shoot someone outside of your home even on your property. However in some states the laws side with homeowners when shooting trespassers.

I appeared on the Maury Povich show to discuss weaponry and self defense. The premise was the shows subjects were facing jail time or in jail because they killed their attackers, which almost happened in the above scenario.

Some of the subjects were victims of domestic violence where others were victims of home invasions or stalking.

So maybe the guy “jumped the gun”, maybe he was legitimately at risk.

The first layer of protection should always be locked secure doors and windows. A monitored home security alarm should run parallel to a secure perimeter. In the above situation with a proper alarm that included glass break sensors, law enforcement would have been alerted the moment the glass broke. The piecing alarm may have also made the burglars think twice.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist toHome Security Source discussing Home Invasions on Maury Povich. Disclosures

In Hurricane Season Get the Facts

Hurricane Irene killed over 40 people, did millions to billions of dollars in damage and left millions without power for over a week.

I live on the east coast, right on the coast, and battened down in anticipation of getting whacked. Well that day never came because the storm missed us.

The local and national news channels continued to spout out information that devastation was on the way even though NOAA kept telling me the storm was downgraded to a tropical storm. I’ve had 75 mile an hour winds here and that’s not devastation. But it definitely means you need to remove anything from your porches and yard that can be flung through a glass window.

Anyway, in the days after the event many people locally complained to me that the media exaggerates things and in the future they will not pay any attention to the boy who cried wolf.

I repeat: Hurricane Irene killed over 40 people, did millions to billions in damage and left millions without power for over a week. While the media definitely sensationalizes things it is better to be over prepared than underprepared. Further it is even better to get the FACTs from NOAA and get a local perspective with a grain of salt when watching what’s going on in the news.

The Red Cross along with NOAA have great tips on how to prepare.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to Home Security Source discussing home security and identity theft on TBS Movie and a Makeover. Disclosures.