If burglars do not manage to break into a property within five minutes, most of them give up, as the risk of being caught increases significantly. Burglary protection is therefore not an attempt to achieve 100 percent protection – every hurdle can be overcome at some point. The aim is rather to increase the time required for the break-in. So that the burglar gives up as a result or does not even attempt the break-in.
Bolts & co: How to secure doors and windows against burglary
Most break-ins are attempted via windows, patio doors or entrance doors.
This allows you to strengthen the burglary protection of the individual elements:
Single-leaf apartment door / front door
– A cross bolt secures the door on both sides.
– A locking bar can be used to open the door a crack without it being pushed open.
– The door lock is also important, more on this below.
Double-leaf apartment door / front door (usually found in old buildings)
– Double-leaf doors must be protected with a vertical bolt (from top to bottom).
– An additional protective measure is a hinge safety device on the hinge sides of the doors. Vertical bolts are normally fitted to the lock and therefore only protect this area and not the side where the hinges are attached to the frame.
– The door lock is also important here, more on this below.
Windows
– Lockable handles prevent burglars from breaking the pane and opening the window.
– Frame locks prevent the windows from being levered out. They should be fitted on both the handle and the hinge side. For large windows, several frame locks on each side are recommended.
When retrofitting doors and windows, the individual elements must be coordinated with each other. It is best to seek advice from experts, for example from the criminal investigation department of the police. Installation by technical experts is also advisable.
What do you need to look out for in door locks?
Every second burglary attempt is aimed at the front door. The door lock or cylinder is particularly worth protecting in this area.
What you should definitely pay attention to:
– Study the latest test results. It is not possible to distinguish between secure and less secure door locks from the outside. In contrast to other products, the markings on the packaging for cylinders are unclear. According to Stiftung Warentest, they are usually not clearly understandable even for experts.
– Important features of a door lock are drill protection and pull protection. The former prevents the lock from being destroyed with a drill. The second prevents the cylinder from being pulled out. Alternatively, a pull protection can be integrated into the door plate instead of the cylinder.
– Locking security is also important. According to Stiftung Warentest, at least five pins should block the cylinder.
In certain situations, you should consider replacing the door lock. These are:
– If a key has been lost.
– If the keys have been stolen together with personal documents, action should be taken as quickly as possible.
– When moving to a new apartment. You don’t know who has all the keys to the door. Please note that in a rented apartment, the landlord can demand that the original lock is reinstalled when you move out.
Further tips:
– Maintain the door lock once a year with suitable oil
– Replace damaged keys
– Clean dirty keys before use
How important is an alarm system for burglary protection?
Alarm systems are normally used in houses. They are designed to thwart burglary attempts or deter them from the outset. However, professional burglars recognize most fake alarm systems – i.e. devices that are not connected at all.
In an emergency, the burglar is either chased away by a loud signal tone or a silent alarm notifies the owner of the property – for example via a message on their smartphone.
In principle, there is a big difference in price between a self-installed alarm system and an alarm system implemented by an expert. Unfortunately, the price difference is also reflected in the professionalism of the system and therefore in its effectiveness.
So if you want to be on the absolutely safe side when it comes to burglary, ask an official body (e.g. the criminal investigation department) to recommend a certified specialist. The professional can install a top system that meets all special requirements. He also advises where the weak points of the house are. However, anyone who proceeds in this way must expect costs of several thousand euros.
It is cheaper to install a system yourself. However, mistakes can be made when it comes to burglary protection, as not all of us are security experts. In addition, not all alarm systems on the market deliver what they promise, as Stiftung Warentest also found out in a product test. A negative example is alarm systems that can be hacked into by computer, which then represents an increased security risk rather than a minimized one.
So if you want to buy an alarm system, you should first do extensive research, compare products, get advice from experts and then take your time to make a decision.
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