Door reinforcement

[Creampuff]

Just a question for those in LEO. We have had more and more door kick-ins here in the surburbs... signs of the times. Have you noticed if the products like Door Jamb armor, or EZ armor, or Strikemaster II - where the frame and door are reinforced with steel and even longer screws, if they work?

The advertisements looks great, but that is the case for all advertisements. Have you seen cases where they have stopped or stalled a kick-in. Or have you seen situations of a complete failure of the product?

thanks in advance!

[oddjob]

Look up "New York Door Stop". I was serving a search warrant years ago and the suspect had one of these. It took forever to get the door open. We switched the "ram" guy twice. It was very impressive.

[nick]

Look up "New York Door Stop". I was serving a search warrant years ago and the suspect had one of these. It took forever to get the door open. We switched the "ram" guy twice. It was very impressive.

Can't find much on it. Do you happen to have any links explaining how it works?

[mixicus]

Haven't seen those products in action. A dead bolt, upgraded strike plate and long screws that get to the frame are a good idea. An easy upgrade for about $20 is something like: Master Lock 265DCCSEN Dual-Function Security Bar (maybe also be what oddjob is referring to) when you are home (or always if you go through the garage). There always the steel screen security doors too for around $150 to $200 depending on style.

Something else to consider: if the trend is is for violent entry without regard for stealth, you need to look at all your entries. You can beef-up the front door but if the bad guy can toss a rock through the rear sliding glass door, a vault at the front doesn't do much good. Not much difference in noise and time between breaking a slider and kicking the snot out of a front door.

Try to find out what the houses that are getting hit look like. Are the points of entry hidden from view, poor lighting, security alarms,...etc. Make changes to your residence to address those issues as well.

Related thought: Also consider checking on the numbers from the local PD or SD. Neighborhood crime stats and trends are often available on-line or at the front counter. You'd be surprised how many 'crime waves that the neighbors talk about are not really crime waves.

[oddjob]

Kinda looks like this except the brace goes into the middle of the door. Attached to the door is a metal plate that the brace slides in to. Then there is another plate on the floor that the other end of the brace slides in to (the brace has a 45 degree angle from door to floor). I've hit doors with two dead bolts and they popped open with one hit. I've also hit the hinge side of doors and opened them up.

But this thing was something else.

http://www.asecuritydepot.com/item/Burglar-Bar-Door-Security-BarDoor-Brace-194

[oddjob]

Just an FYI.........What Mixicus said is true about the good old rock being tossed through a window. Whats popular around here lately is for someone to throw a rock through a back slider window and then just wait. If the occupant shows up at the back or the cops show up or a big dog the suspects do nothing. Even if caught its just a vandalism charge.

If no one shows up then they just walk in and take their time.

[NuGunner]

I can't think of a residential burglary that I've responded to where the resident had a large dog. Combination of the above, with security alarm and a good dog equals good security.

[mtsul]

Tag lots of good info

[tal3nt]

Security Alarm sticker by your door at worst

[AetiusAbove]

Don't forget to reinforce your windows with an anti-shatter laminate. It's like a giant clear sticker that makes your windows and glass slider doors impact resistance (like your car's windshield only stronger). Just check your local fire safety codes, some fire depts don't like them...