The Professional Choice

A companion overview to the popular "Ask Mr. Handyman" radio program airing on Christian Talk Radio, KCRO 660AM Saturdays @ 9:30AM.

Sunday, June 1, 2014

Burglaries on the rise!


Beware; some prominent neighborhoods have recently been hit.

At least twice a week Mr Handyman gets a call from a panicked homeowner that has just recently been a victim of a break-in and is in need to have their door fixed or replaced.   The volume of calls has increased over the past few months.  Maybe it’s an indicator of the amount of crime going on in our city.

A recent internet article discussed three ways to help prevent a robbery at your home.  The information was old at best and showed a lack of research on the part of the author.  He stated by installing a deadbolt lock in addition to the handle lock it would stop a potential break-in.   That is simply not the case.  In almost every case where we respond to a door repair from a break-in a deadbolt lock had been installed and failed just as easily as the single locking device.  It’s not the locking devices that fail but rather the door frame fails, allowing easy access.

If you open up your front door and look at the door frame you will see the small amount of wood between the strike hole (where the locking plunger enters when locked) and the interior of your home. There is about ¾ to 1 inch of soft, pine wood.  It is easily broken out with a swift kick or two.

Many homeowners in nicer, west Omaha neighborhoods have an alarm system installed in their home thinking it will stop a criminal from breaking into their home.  Some believe the yard sign alone acts like a deterrent, that a burglar may pass over a particular home with an alarm company logo out front but will it actually stop the determined criminal from breaking in?  He may need his "fix" and needs to peddle your wares to get it. 

A determined burglar does not fear the alarm company yard sign.  He knows with one swift kick on the door he and his band of thieves can rummage through your home, gather up their bounty, load up their stolen vehicle and be gone before the police are able to respond.  The average police response time nationwide is seven minutes.  That’s once the police have been notified, after the alarm company has gone through their call procedures.  Realistically, more than 10 minutes may pass before the black and white vehicle pulls up.

The best defense is to keep them from gaining entry in the first place.  The door frame fails because the small amount of soft wood just cannot take the force applied in the kick-in.  It’s relatively easy for someone to kick-in with enough force to bust through it. 

Mr Handyman sells and installs a door protection system that reinforces the door frame, the door hinge side and the handle area that will stop the easy access into your home.  If they want in, make them work for it, let it take all sorts of time, let it make all sorts of noise to alert your neighbors.  Most likely they will move on to another home.  It is inexpensive and would be a great addition to your home security system.  Call and ask for Dan at 402-502-5212 for more information.