After a recent rise in crime, the question on everyone’s lips is, ‘How do burglars break in?’ To outsmart the burglars in your neighbourhood, it’s essential you think like a burglar. Once you understand precisely how they’re getting in, you can start taking practical steps to ensure your home is as secure as possible.
Here are the top five ways that burglars are entering homes in your neighbourhood.
1. Walking straight through your front door
When you think about burglars entering your home, you likely think of a break-in. Unfortunately, in most cases, burglars don’t need to break in at all — they simply walk straight in via an unlocked front door. Even if your front door is locked and secure, they may try all the locks in your home to see if there’s one around the side or back that’s been left unlocked in order to gain entry.
In our previous post, we looked at the stats compiled by Budget Direct about burglaries in Aussie suburbs. For break-ins that occurred in 2021, the most common point of entry was an unlocked door (40%).
What to do about it
This is an easy but important one: make sure all doors are closed and locked before leaving home or going to bed. To further bolster your security, you can install security screens with triple locks. Because knob locks can be easily jimmied using a credit card or similar, triple locks are the best way to prevent a break-in through the doors in your house.
Breaking in through a window
Doors aren’t the only easy target for burglars looking for an opportunity to enter your home. If you’re a fellow Gold Coast dweller who loves opening your home up to our beautiful sea breezes, you might be leaving your home vulnerable. Thieves can easily remove fly screens or cut through them and pull themselves through your open window.
Even if you are vigilant in locking your windows, there’s a chance that burglars might take the opportunity to break a window — particularly if you live in a secluded area where your neighbours won’t be alerted to the sound.
What to do about it
If you like opening your home to let the breeze through, then security screen windows could be a fantastic option. Quality screens, like our SupaScreen® and IntrudaGuard® Security screens are tested to the Australian Standard AS5039-2008 for maximum impact and shear resistance. Unlike flyscreens, security screens make it very difficult for intruders to force their way into your home through your windows.
Also ensure your yard is kept free of bricks and heavy rocks to prevent the intruder from smashing your window panes, or consider installing break-resistant glass.
3. Entering through your garage
An easy, but often overlooked way that burglars can enter your home is through the garage. Manual garage doors can be opened from the outside by tripping the safety release using a coat hanger, and automatic garage door openers can be stolen out of the car sitting in your driveway. Many garages also have a side door with a hollow core and a standard turnkey lock, which gives burglars an easy access point into your garage. Once a burglar is in your garage, they can usually access your entire home.
What to do about it
If you’re installing security screens throughout your home, ensure you don’t forget to secure any external and internal doors connecting to your garage. They’re an easy target for burglars, and a quality security screen door with a triple lock will give your garage extra protection. Finally, if you park your car in your driveway, remember to stash your remote out of sight — and not in an obvious place, like your glove box or under your seat.
4. Sliding through your dog door
While owning a dog is a fantastic deterrent to criminals, having an unsecured pet door is one way that slim intruders can shimmy into your home. Even if they can’t fit through the door themselves, they can use the pet door to gain access or stick their head through to gain an understanding of your space.
What to do about it
First, if you’re planning to install a pet door, make sure you install it within a wall rather than a door. This prevents intruders from reaching through the flap and quickly opening a door. Also, ensure that the pet door is only as big as it needs to be — small pet doors will prevent anyone from entering this way.
If you already have a pet door installed, consider upgrading it. Many new pet doors now come with an electronic lock that your pet can unlock with an RFID chip.
5. Finding the spare key
Hiding a spare key under your doormat? Maybe even somewhere a little more sophisticated, like a fake rock in your garden? Thieves are well aware that many Australian homes keep a spare key stashed near the house and aren’t afraid to hunt around to see if they can find one.
What to do about it
If you’re worried about getting locked out or need to keep a spare key hidden for guests, consider investing in a lockbox. They’re affordable, protected by a passcode or combination lock, and a much safer alternative than trusting a fake rock to protect your home.
Alternatively, leave a spare key with your neighbours. There are plenty of reasons why it’s a great idea to get to know your neighbours, and home security is a big one! Not only will your neighbours hold your spare key securely, but they can also keep an eye on your home and let you know if any unwelcome visitors are prowling around.
Trust Goldco for your security screen installation
One of the best ways to protect your home from burglars is to install quality security screens throughout your home. Goldco Security manufactures and installs the highest-quality Amplimesh® security screens on the Gold Coast. Both our SupaScreen® and IntrudaGuard® Security screens are tested to the Australian Standard AS5039-2008 for maximum impact and shear resistance to keep your home and family safe and secure.
Not only that, our security screens are certified Australian-made and manufactured right here on the Gold Coast. Our SupaScreen® unique patented pressure process eliminates the need for screws, rivets, pins or snap-ins to retain the mesh panel. This keeps your doors looking great, while also avoiding the possibility of corrosion.
If you’d like to chat with a friendly member of the Goldco Security team about our security screen options, make sure you get in touch. We pride ourselves on our quality workmanship, old-fashioned service and competitive pricing.
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