Break in not far from my house leads to hardening the doors

[chiefjason]

We came across the aftermath of this while out shopping last week. A day or two later we found out this happened maybe 2 miles down the road. It seems that the home break in/invasion bug is creeping from Hickory into our small town.

"LONG VIEW - A tip from a Charter cable repairman led Long View police to a break-in in progress that turned into a car chase Wednesday afternoon.

The witness told police he's seen several men kicking in doors to a house on Second Avenue, NW.

When Long View Sgt. Scott Pitts pulled up, a man ran, jumped into a white 1999 Chevrolet Suburban where other men were waiting and sped away. The driver ignored Pitts' order to pull over."

rest of story here.
Break-in tip leads to chase, manhunt

I used to not think much about this stuff and had a few choice words for folks who "worried" so much about it. After several of these, a couple of follow home robberies, and reading some threads here I decided to take some steps. I've been carrying around the house more often, all day today. Trying to get my wife to as well, working on that. Got my wife this for Christmas. As well as the P3at she has in the bedroom. Want to upgrade that soon.



I decided to work on my doors today. I was shocked at what I saw. I spent about $70 ish dollars on 2 kick bars and steel screws. I put one of the kick bars on the back door full time. It's hidden from view of the road so it's the biggest concern. We also have locked glass doors on both entrances. Here is the kick bar.



Now for the shocker. The screws. The top screw is 3 1/2" steel, the next screw is the long ones in the door hinge, then the screws from the dead bolt strike plate, then the shortest are from the door knob strike plate and the filler screws for the door hinges! If you have not checked yours take a few minutes and back some out. See what you have in there. On at least one hinge I would take all of them out. Some of the hinges had 2 long and 2 short screws. Check the strike plates too. A picture is worth a thousand words, do you want these tiny screws on the bottom fending off the BG kicking at your door?



The longest door hinge screws may have had one, two if I was lucky, per hinge. The rest were the tiny ones on the bottom! One hinge on the front door was missing 2 screws! I had heard talk of how small the screw were, but I am shocked! All hinges and strike plates on the 2 outside doors and the garage door know have 3 1/2" screws. I may look at hardening the strike area around the door side of the lock as well. All told it took 45 min to an hour to do 3 doors, and fool with the kick bars a minute, and teach the kids how to defeat them to get out.

Now I'm not crazy enough the think this will stop the determined type. But if I am home it will buy me enough time to get the family rounded up and get ready to take action. And hopefully if I am away it will take too much time and make them look elsewhere.

Part of me really is sad that this is something I worry about and have to deal with. I truly remember leaving doors unlocked and telling folks to come on in. But even worse is not dealing with it and having myself or my family suffer the consequences. Hopefully I just wasted my money on things I never need. For the peace of mind it will be money well wasted.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[searcher 45]

Years ago my mother would place a straight back chair under the door knob and that helped to secure the door.

I like your kick bar much better.

If your wife can shoot the P3AT effectively, I would recommend that you look into a good easy to use carry holster for her around the house.

P3AT on her is better than bigger gun in safe or bed side stand.

[Templar71]

As stated; remember those door hinges. The door hinges are often over looked and a weak spot.

IMO carry all the time... I do. Its really too easy, so just carry. Just gotta make it an everyday thing.

Its kinda like your fire extinguisher. You never want to use one and you never want to need it and not have it.

[tiwee]

Great post.

I had some demo jobs at Great Lakes a long time ago. First it was for fun when we kicked in some doors before knocking down the buildings. I was so shocked at how flimsy they were that I took a little more time to try different attacks. Basically, just about any place we wanted to kick, we could get the door down quickly. A three pound sledge would blow up an hinge. I never forgot that.

I hardened my house in California. When we built this retirement house, I applied what I had learned. The exterior doors are steel clad with heavy duty hardware and long hardened screws in every hole. The interior doors are solid core wood with commercial hardware and long screws. We have been here 19 years and had no break-ins. The initial costs were not that much for the additional security. I hung the doors myself. The exterior windows are all double paned tempered. Obviously, coming in through the glass is easiest.

Chief Jason is absolutely correct. For little money and a few hours, your hinge and strike plate screws can be replaced with hardened 3.5 inch fasteners. That is a good start. After that, several more improvements can be made. I like blind non-keyed long throw deadbolts. Don't forget to harden an interior room entry for the safe room. Again, not much money but some peace of mind and buys a little time.

[Guardian]

It's always good to take extra precautions. On my back door with a nosey neighbor behind me that I notify that I'm going away when I go, I put your standard piece of board to block the door handle, cost around (cheap as dirt), it's not fancy, but works the same, it braces up against the steps leading into the kitchen back door. They would have to kick like a Missouri Mule to break that in.

Front door, side windows covered by co-workers who stop by and check and nosey neighbor #2 who lives to my side (sister to the one behind me LOL). Teamwork at it's best.

[chiefjason]

Thanks folks, here's the bar I have. One of my local Ace Hardware's had it. Meant to link it originally.

MASTERLOCK 265DCCSEN BAR DOOR SECURITY # 265D

Searcher 45, she can shoot the P3at pretty well. She just does not like it. Snappy little gun. Oddly she enjoys the shotgun, just can't shoot it much at once. I'm trying to get her to carry now. I have a pocket holster and fobus paddle for it. She does not need a permit to carry OC or CC on the property in NC. It's a slow process. It is readily accessible all the time so that's a plus.

I'm working towards carrying all the time. Hate giving up the sweats on my day off. But a G19 in a beltslide goes nearly unnoticed most of the day. It's there now so that is my go to currently.

tiwee, the master bedroom door will get the longer screws next. It's not much of a door though. Instead of hardening it more, I may look at replacing it. But my house is so small I'm much better keeping them out entirely. And in NC I can shoot to prevent entry to the house. Not the best scenario, but neither is the master bedroom as a place to hole up. Trying to decide if I should spend the money putting lipstick on the pig, bedroom door, or just work to keep them out with better hardware. Although it's a ranch house, all the windows are ground level. Though BG's around here don't seem to like windows. Can't get the TV out the window I guess.

Guaridian, I have nosey armed neighbors all the way around. I like them all, but they know everything that happens on the block here. They would know if someone pulled up that did not belong. Gotta love that.

[Templar71]

Thanks folks, here's the bar I have. One of my local Ace Hardware's had it. Meant to link it originally.

MASTERLOCK 265DCCSEN BAR DOOR SECURITY # 265D


I'm working towards carrying all the time. Hate giving up the sweats on my day off. But a G19 in a beltslide goes nearly unnoticed most of the day. It's there now so that is my go to currently.

tiwee, the master bedroom door will get the longer screws next. It's not much of a door though. Instead of hardening it more, I may look at replacing it. But my house is so small I'm much better keeping them out entirely. And in NC I can shoot to prevent entry to the house. Not the best scenario, but neither is the master bedroom as a place to hole up. Trying to decide if I should spend the money putting lipstick on the pig, bedroom door, or just work to keep them out with better hardware.

Plan A= keep em out. Have a plan B. If plan B fails at least have plan C. That way you have an action plan and if it fails you easily transition to the next plan without much of a thought and much less a panic moment.

I see no reason not to have a hardened room inside your home. It makes for a fighting retreat spot in your home. It makes for an option if you get caught unprepared, like getting out of the shower at the time of a home invasion.

For the little time and effort...put a little lipstick on the pig.

[DrLewall]

she can shoot the P3at pretty well. She just does not like it. Snappy little gun..

Thats an understatement! If she can shoot it with confidence, then cuddos to her! The P3AT is not a fun gun to shoot..my BIG hands have a hard time hanging on to it thus I am envious towards her. Great idea and info on the screw replacements.

[Rugergirl]

Check your door locks as well.
Key bumping is easy and getting quite common.
This video explains how to prevent it:
About Medeco - MEDECO - Security IQ: Protecting Against Key Bumping Video

[grady]

Excellent analysis and remedial action to harden some soft spots on your doors!

I did mine a few months back, and found about the same as you found: several very short screws, some missing, etc.

+1 on your consideration to also install reinforcement around the door knob/dead bolts on the door itself. I installed one on each exterior door (including the door to the garage)--I think they were $20-something apiece. I can't think of the technical name of them right now, but it is a piece of flat metal that wraps around the door by the door knobs. I've seen pictures where the door itself gave away around the door knobs, so this item should aid in that regard.

I agree with you that the actions may not totally prevent entry, but they will likely make it more difficult, and may give you a few seconds to prepare.

Excellent precautions.

[jhh3rd]

What is the cord hanging from the mag tube on the shotgun?

[chiefjason]

Plan A is to try to keep them at bay outside until LEO's arrive to deal with them. Plan B involves that new Christmas present, and more emergency workers. I have a small home. My plan is to deny entry by any means possible if I am home. Otherwise, everything will happen at VERY close range. My MBR door is 22' from the 2 girls bedrooms. Less than that from the front and back door. 1500 HSF ranch home. Love the house, neighbors, etc; I'm not moving. So denying entry at all cost is the best course for me. Though my state does not have a full Castle Doctrine, they allow me to shoot to deny entry if needed.

I will most likely do some work on the bedroom door. But if I have to choose between keeping them out of my home and keeping them out of my MBR, I'll choose the first option.

Grady, that's what I am looking into.

Rugergirl, great link!

DR, that's why she does not like shooting it. It's relative. She can and will shoot it if needed. She hates shooting it to practice though. Need to remedy that. On the plus side, I got her to actually carry it a bit today!

[chiefjason]

What is the cord hanging from the mag tube on the shotgun?

Haha, it's an old pic before I dedicated that light to it. At the time the Olight it is attached to was my carry light. So it was a lanyard to pull it out of my pocket and I was too lazy to take it off. It's not there now.

[jhh3rd]

Got it! Thanks, john

[Gadfly]

Sucks if you live in OK, though. This Constitution-bending law is a real peach.

Tibbs law makes it illegal to fortify a private home | Tulsa Beacon

Tibbs’ law makes it illegal to ‘fortify’ a private home

Oklahoma has a new law that makes it a crime to “fortify” a citizen’s home against possible entry by law enforcement.

State Rep. Sue Tibbs was one of the sponsors of a bill that makes it unlawful for “any person to willfully fortify an access point into any dwelling, structure, building or other place where a felony offense prohibited by the Uniform Controlled Dangerous Substances Act is being committed, or attempted, and the fortification is for the purpose of preventing or delaying entry or access by a law enforcement officer, or to harm or injure a law enforcement officer in the performance of official duties.”

The law took effect Nov. 1.

The law states that to “fortify an access point” means to willfully construct, install, position, use or hold any material or device designed to injure a person upon entry or to strengthen, defend, restrict or obstruct any door, window or other opening into a dwelling, structure, building or other place to any extent beyond the security provided by a commercial alarm system, lock or deadbolt, or a combination of alarm, lock or deadbolt.

The law carries punishment of imprisonment of not more than five years or by a fine up to $10,000 or by both.

.

And this law from a Republican . . . go figure. Guess how easy it'll be to expand this law to non-drug-related cases. BOHICA, folks!