Most common home burglary entry points

Most common home burglary entry points. When buying a home, the last thing you want to worry about is the threat of having your home broken into. 

Unfortunately home burglaries can occur in any suburb any time. It is important to always secure your home to prevent these occurrences In this market insight we highlight the most common home burglary entry points and some tips to avoid them.

What you seen in the movies is rarely what you see in the real world. A home burglary is often done much faster and simpler.

1. Front Door

The most common break in is through the front door. You would think this would be to obvious and would take a very brave person to simply walk through the front door as if its their own home.

This doesn’t just happen because of an unlocked door. Many people still choose to leave a key available at the front of the home. Leaving keys under a mat or pot plant is a very easy place for a thief to find them. If they know you aren’t home, they will quickly walk in. If the front door looks weak or a lock looks old and fragile, the thief will have no issue kicking the door in either.

How can you avoid this?

• Always lock your front door (regardless if you are home or not)
• Install a deadbolt so the front door requires two locks to unlock
• Install an alarm system
• Set up a camera at the front door to deter suspicious activity
• Establish motion detecting lights to create attention
• Ensure you have a solid safe front door (replace it if required)
• Install a metal security door

2. Garage Doors

We all like to hold valuable items in the garage, not just our motor vehicles. The garage is a very common home burglary entry point as thieves are aware people may hold expensive tools, equipment and electronic appliances.

Beyond your garage door is another entry point into the home. Thieves also see this as a two-in-one jackpot of getting potential access to the house.

How can you avoid this?

• Locking the garage doors. This garage often has a roller door and two additional walk-in entry doors. Locking them, particularly the second door that leads to the house will reduce their time to break in and deter them from continuing into the house
• Install a deadbolt so the walk-in door requires two locks to unlock
• Installing a camera which looks down the length of the driveway, directly towards the door and facing the outwards from the garage back door
• Removing any valuables from your motor vehicle
• Do not leave spare keys in the garage

 3. Back Door

The other most common home burglary entry point is the back door or sliding door. This is a more discreet entry point as it avoids the passing activity of neighbours walking or driving past the front of the house.

Unfortunately, its known that people often leave their back doors open or unlocked. It is a very quick and easy way for a thief to enter the home.

How can you avoid this?

• Lock your back doors and sliding doors as a common practice. It is often accidentally forgotten to lock it.
• Install heavier duty locks, including deadbolts
• Install an alarm system
• Installing some cameras
• Establish motion detecting lights to create attention
• Ensure you have a solid safe back door (replace it if required)
• Install a metal security door