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How Thieves Break Into Locked Garages with Just a Coat Hanger

It is relatively easy for thieves to break into your home by the garage door. It only takes a few seconds, and with a little practice, you could do it too. Once you see how easy it is to break into a closed garage door, you should be inspired to take away the break-in method for thieves (we offer a couple of tips to do so). You might also check your habit to always lock the door between the garage and the house. If your lock on this door is weak, you can augment your lock’s integrity with various devices for additional security.

The following video shows how thieves can break into your home by the garage. Then read on for solutions to enhance your security and peace of mind.

This video demonstrates a solution to stopping garage break-ins.

How to Prevent Entry into Your Garage Door

Burglars know how easy it is to get into a home by a roll-up garage door, and now you do, too.  As a homeowner, you need to know that a burglar can open a closed roll up garage door in seconds, with just a small block of wood and a coat hanger; that’s it!

This garage door safety release mechanism can be tripped from outside your garage door with nothing more than a coat hanger. To open up a roll-up garage door, all a thief needs to do is thread a coat hanger or hooked piece of wire through the top of the door and pull the emergency latch. By disengaging the safety release on your door, the door can be rolled up by hand to let a thief inside and then quickly back down as if nothing were out of the ordinary.

It’s very easy to defeat an automatic garage door opener and break into a garage, especially when you have garage door windows that enable a thief to see exactly what they’re doing. Even without windows the task is fairly easy and can be done just on feel and knowing the mid-point of your garage where the release cord is located.

What to do to Keep Burglars From Entering via the Garage Door

There are several simple, cost-free DIY methods to help foil thieves that break into your home by the garage door.

Remove the cord from the garage door release lever.
The cord attached to the emergency release lever is a convenience when you need to trip the lever like during a power outage so you can manually roll up the garage door. Removing the cord makes it more time-consuming for a burglar to get inside your garage. If it takes too long, the thief may give up rather than risk getting caught in the act of breaking into your garage.

In case of an emergency that leaves you without power, be sure you have a way to reach and release the lever so you can manually roll up the garage door to exit as the wall button or remote won’t work.

Lock the release lever into the engaged position while keeping the cord attached.
On some garage door openers, you can use a plastic cable tie or some thin wire to tie the lever to the carriage assembly it is attached to. The lever always has a hole in it (to attach the release cord), and some carriage assemblies have holes you can run the cable tie or wire through. If your garage door release doesn’t, you can drill a hole. The idea is that you need to make it virtually impossible for a flimsy coat hanger to catch the rope and have it pull the lever down. You do this using a zip-tie (or two) to lock the automatic opener’s engaging arm.

While this will prevent the bypass technique employed by thieves, the safety pull handle can still be yanked hard from inside the garage to break the zip ties in an emergency.

As long as you have power, both of the above solutions still allow you to use your remote control to open the garage door.

The best security option.
The best solution is to install a shield to block a wire hanger from grabbing the pull rope while still allowing the pull rope to hang low for a quick emergency opening of the garage door during a power outage. Installing the shield is easy.Garage Door Protection Shield, How Thieves Can Break Into Your Home by the Garage Door

Garage Door Protection Shield, Thieves can break into your home by the garage door

Install Motion Sensor Lights in front of your garage door. Thieves love to operate under the cloak of darkness. Once the light detects motion in front of your garage door, it turns on and remains on for a specified amount of time. Some lights are solar-powered and don’t require electricity, while other models are hard-wired. Here’s one model we like.

garage motion lights, Thieves can break into your home by the garage door

Check price light motion sensor garage

Lock the Door Between the Garage and House

Hopefully, you lock the door from the garage to your house every time you drive out of the garage. Many of us don’t lock the door between the house and the garage during the day as we’re coming and going. Even still, once a burglar has access to your garage and lowers the garage door quickly, they have plenty of time to bypass the door lock to your home without being seen. What makes it easier for burglars is that many doors aren’t built solid or have a deadbolt. Burglars can pick the lock with small tools they carry on them, or add insult to the injury, the burglars might breach the door lock by using the tools that most of us have in the garage.

Install a heavy-duty deadbolt on the door leading to your home as a permanent solution.

heavy duty deadbolt

Check price for door security, Thieves can break into your home by the garage door

Install a security door brace on the floor of the door between the garage and house; it’s a more permanent solution that augments a good solid door lock.

security door brace

Check price for door security, Thieves can break into your home by the garage door

Use a portable door jammer security rod on the closed door to stop the door from the garage to the house from being opened.

door jammer security bar

Check price for door security

Use a portable wedge door alarm on the door leading from the garage to the house; it stops the door from opening and emits an alarm should entry be attempted.

Check price for door security, Thieves can break into your home by the garage door

Garage door alarms operate much like window locks; if they sense motion, they’ll emit a loud alarm.

Thieves can break into your home by the garage door


Check price for door security, Thieves can break into your home by the garage door The Lock Locker stops deadbolts from turning Even stops a key.

Lock Locker, Thieves can break into your home by the garage door

Check price for lock locker, Thieves can break into your home by the garage door

By making a few no-cost or low-cost adjustments to your garage door opening mechanism and outdoor lighting you can help stop thieves who try to break into your home by the garage door.

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Keep em’ Out!

Most criminals who burglarize homes are looking for an easy hit; a house that they can break into quickly, take something of value, and leave without being detected. There’s no fail-proof way to keep out a burglar, however, you can help prevent home burglaries while on vacation by taking some deterrence measures.

Prevent Home Burglaries When on Vacation

Even if you can’t afford a security system, you can take a few minutes to make your home a little more secure. Some relatively simple steps will greatly decrease the odds of a break-in and help prevent home burglaries while on vacation, which means you can enjoy a bit more peace of mind. And isn’t that what “home” is all about?

A Few Facts About Home Burglaries

Prevent Home Burglaries When on Vacation

Avoiding home burglary while on vacation

  • Once a burglar targets a home to burglarize, most will spend no more than a minute trying to break in and less than five minutes inside.
  • Most residential burglaries occur on the first or ground floor.
  • The point of entry is usually made at the rear or by a side door, the second most common access is via the garage door.
  • Most burglaries occur during daytime hours when homes are empty, and belong to two-person households.

 Target Your Home As a Burglar

How would you get into your home? Evaluate your home from the inside and out, night and day. You might even try a “mock” break-in, trying window jambs and loose locks on your house’s perimeter. Just let the neighbors know what you’re up to before you go lurking in the bushes.
If you failed your test, here are a few thoughts to harden your residence against burglars.

Lights

Even though most burglaries occur during the day, some occur during hours of darkness. Criminals are in search of houses with no one home. To reduce your home’s risk of burglary at night, install a motion sensor light in the front and in the rear of your house wherever possible. To be extra cautious, try to position the lights at the corners of your residence so the motion detectors can catch someone approaching from the side. Make sure the lights are positioned at a height that someone cannot disable them by easily reaching up and unscrewing the bulb. These are solar and require no electrical wiring to install, DIY friendly.

Landscape

Make sure all shrubs and trees are trimmed back so they do not allow a burglar to conceal himself while attempting to open a window or door. If possible, plant bushes with prickly thorns around these locations. They are a cheap deterrent. Also, gravel is a good ground cover under windows because it is noisy underfoot should someone walk on it.

Scope Out Your Yard

Don’t stop your security awareness at the outside walls of your house. Your yard areas also deserve attention. In general, don’t leave anything around the yard that might help a burglar get into your house. Ladders, stackable boxes, or any garden tools should be put away, preferably in a locked cabinet or in the garage. Many burglars have used the property owner’s own tools to break into a home. Don’t place outdoor furniture tables nearby the house. These could become an easy stepladder to the roof. To discourage potential climbers, spread grease on any metal drain pipes if they are close to windows. Use Vaseline or clear automotive grease, depending on the color of the pipe (or replace them with plastic pipe). Yes, criminals do climb up drainpipes. Think about it, most second-story windows are left unsecured and make a house easy to gain entry to.

Hide Your Identity

Do not place your name on your mailbox or front door, especially if you are a woman. If you really have to do this, use your last name only.Burglar going into a home, Prevent Home Burglaries When on Vacation

Secure the Windows

Though windows are relatively easy to break, the loud noise of shattering glass will deter a thief if you’re near other houses.

Another Create a lock for wooden-frame windows. At the top edge of the bottom frame, drill two holes perpendicular to the sash or at a slight, downward angle. Drill completely through the inside sash and halfway into the outside sash. Insert nails or bolts (don’t hammer or screw these) into the holes. To test this setup to make certain the bolts won’t pop out when wiggled.

Don’t leave windows and doors open during the night whether you’re home or away. That’s a common-sense precaution, but a surprising number of people forget to do just that, especially second-story windows. It’s a good idea to make a “pane patrol” part of your ritual of leaving the house. Use a pick-proof locking device for your windows. Make sure the frames are solid. If you’re beyond the earshot of your neighbors, they won’t hear the glass breaking.

Consider installing a Plexiglas sheet for the more accessible windows. This will make entry through them more difficult. Basement windows are an easy target, since they’re low and usually well hidden. Firmly wedge a steel bar across the window, or install a metal grate over the opening or window.

Secure the Doors

  • All exterior doors should be a solid core to withstand being kicked in. All should have high-quality deadbolts with at least 1 1/2 inch throws on the bolts themselves. The bolts in the locks should always be solid, not hollow metal.
  • Ensure the door frame has a metal strike plate, which is secured by a minimum of six, three-inch screws, which are screwed into the solid door frame.
  • Install a wrap-a-round steel place on the front of the door which covers the deadbolt. This will provide extra protection from a burglar kicking in the door, and reduce his ability to pry the door lock.
  • If you don’t have a peephole, install one in the front door. If you have one, make sure that you and your family are in the habit of using it. Don’t open the door to anyone you don’t know, especially at night. If the peephole is out of reach of your children, keep a step ladder or stepping box by the door for them to use, or direct them not to open the door.

Signs of the Time

  • The recording of a barking dog, as sometimes suggested, may only be effective for particularly gullible burglars. Some people have a playback system that’s triggered by the doorbell, but the cause-and-effect (push, bark, push, bark) is a little too easy to discern. A Beware of Dog sign is better than nothing; for an added touch of verisimilitude, get a sign that refers to a specific breed rather than the generic Dog. A “Beware of Rottweiler” sign (or a bumper sticker that says “I Love My Pit Bull”) might do the trick. Also, think about putting up a home alarm sign in the yard even you don’t have an alarm. It may deter a burglar from choosing your home.

    Beware of the Dog Sign , prevent home burglaries

    Posting a Beware of the Dog Sign can Help Prevent a Home Burglary when on Vacation

  • Dogs, even the small yip-yip variety, have sharp teeth and a way of noisily announcing stealthy intruders. But a dog is more than an organic alarm–it’s a living creature, and it’ll need a lifetime of love, care, attention, and exercise. If you can genuinely welcome a dog into your life, it will welcome the task of protecting you. But if you’re a cat person heart, then look into electronic security systems.
  • Get a doorbell with a built-in camera to record activity in front of your door and home. Motion activated cameras mounted on your eaves are good too. Many burglars look for these and pass on homes that have them in place.

Protect Your Valuables

Don’t leave your valuables (tablet, computer, jewelry, etc.) where they can be seen from a window. If you don’t want to hide everything from sight, consider draperies and blinds. Use a safe. One of our favorites is a Wall Safe that you can install anywhere between the studs.

Make a valuables inventory. Keep a record of your expensive and personally significant items-not just a listing, but a photographic or videotape record if possible. Store this inventory at another location. This is helpful for both the police and the insurance agency (if you have a homeowner’s policy), to identify the stolen goods.

Use an engraving pen to mark these items with some kind of personal identifying information, such as your initials, in an inconspicuous place. This also helps record your possessions in case of any other mishap, such as fire or flood. Note:  Some experts recommend that owners of property use their driver’s license number, followed by the state of issuance.

Bonus Information – The types of burglars defined

Opportunity Burglars

This type of thief searches for opportunities that are easy, quick, and petty. If you leave your door unlocked or your window open, they will take advantage of your trust or forgetfulness. In law, this would be considered a second-degree crime, or not premeditated. An opportunity burglar will not do very much to decide who they will burglarize; they look for an easy target. They don’t tend to steal very much of value because they don’t know what they’ll find until they are in the act.

Smash Burglars

A smash and grab burglar is more desperate than an Opportunity Burglar. They are often into drugs and are only looking for cash or items that can quickly be exchanged for cash. A Smasher will usually enter a home or business by breaking through a door or window and this goes for cars too.

Prowler Burglars

A Prowler is more of a professional than a Smasher or Opportunity Thief. They will have connections through which they can channel stolen goods, and they will put more scrutiny and planning into a burglary. A Prowler probably began as an Opportunity Thief and chose to become more organized in order to gain more from their robbery. Their technique includes targeting and studying their victim’s habits and schedules, and they are very thorough during a burglary.

Targeted Burglars

A Targeted Burglar has nearly mastered their craft and knows specifically what they are after. After a few years of Prowling, a Burglar will often decide to target specific high-value items. They know what they want, they do rigorous research, and even know how long it will take the Police to respond to an alarm. Targeted Burglars are often part of a Ring. These rings are nationwide, so items stolen in one state are shipped to others to be sold. Targeted Thieves will sometimes have an Insider, sometimes someone connected with an insurance company. This means they know the value of their targeted item and most of the details about the security around that item. A targeted burglar will likely change states frequently, so they can strike in New Jersey, then move to California to find another target.

Complete Burglars

Similar to a Prowler in methods, but professional like a Targeted Burglar, the Complete Burglar will clean a house out entirely. When a house is completely bare after a robbery, a Complete Burglar was involved. Like Targeted Burglars, a Complete Burglar will have Insiders and a Ring. An Insider will tell them that you are going on vacation, and a moving truck will arrive to take every item in your house. Similar to a Targeted Burglar, a complete burglar will likely move around often.

Prevent home burglaries by following a few common-sense tasks around your home’s garden. Then follow up with installing motion detection lights or better yet a motion-activated surveillance camera-like ring to discourage those casing and targeting properties.

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