This page has been archived and is no longer updated. How secure are your doors? If you are unsure whether your front door, back door or patio doors are secure enough to prevent intruders, use this quick checklist to find out how safe they really are . • Five lever mortice deadlock (if door over 44mm) – check they are British Standard 3621 or European Standard EN12209 • Avoid glazed panels, replace with toughened glass or laminated glass panels • Fit a spy hole • Fit a door chain or limiter • Check hinges are secure - use good long screws and consider hinge bolts • Install them no closer than 400 mm from the door lock • Never fit a letter box to the bottom rail of a door • Consider an internal cover plate or letter basket (with the bottom removed to prevent mail theft) • Use 5 lever 2 bolt sash lock halfway up the door (British Standard 3621 European Standard EN 12209) • Supplement sash lock with mortice rack bolts at the top and bottom of the door
• Avoid glass panels, use laminated panels fitted from the inside and consider grilles as well French doors (a burglar's favourite!) • Use mortice rack bolts • Or, consider surface-mounted locking bolts • For extra security, consider mortice sash locks • If your doors open outwards, use hinge bolts Patio doors (a burglar's favourite!) • Use extra locks if not fitted with a multi-locking system • Anti-lift devices to avoid door being lifted from its track More ways to protect your doors Dave Stokes, a member of the Master Locksmith Association, recommends the following security measures: • British standard nightlatch - this is used to make sure the lock is dead locked • Mortice deadlock - Frameguard: London bar: fits round the yale lock and straight down frame. Brum bar: flat strip lock in the middle of the door frame • Hinge bolts: fit a hinge side below and above hinges of wooden doors • Lock guard over mortice lock.
This prevents door from splitting out (stops anyone being able to jam door) • Multi-lock three point locking system, 2 hooks, 1 top and bottom of the frame, with a latch and deadlock in the middle of the door • You can't fit anymore locks to UPVC doors due to the structure of the door • Consider using a small window alarm which beeps when you enter the room • Letterbox cage: fits to the back of a letterbox, needs a padlock to keep it secured • Letterbox homeguard: which is made of a fire retardant material. So can resist fire if a firework is put through the door, and also blocks people getting in • Do not leave keys hanging inside the letterbox, under plant pots or doormats – these are the first places a burglar will check • Locks and bolts are only as good as the doors they are fitted to. Make sure weak rotten woodwork is replaced, and that the frame is well fixed. More information on door security from the Met Police - www.met.police.uk/crimeprevention/doors.htm
Master Locksmiths Association – www.locksmiths.co.uk The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. Series 3, Episode 20 Call Crimestoppers anonymously anytime on 0800 555 111 Crimestoppers is an independent charity helping to find criminals and help solve crimes. Call Victim Support on 0845 30 30 900 Victim Support is the independent charity which helps people cope with the effects of crime. BBC iD Settings Sign out BBC navigation News Sport Weather iPlayer TV Radio More…Skip to main content Looking for something else? Homes with no security measures in place are five times more likely to be burgled than those with simple security measures. Good window locks and strong deadlocks can make a big difference. Taking just a few steps can make a big difference in keeping your home safe from burglary. Here are a few tips: Lock your doors and windows every time you leave the house, even when you're just out in the garden, remembering to double-lock UPVC doors (lift handle and turn key)
Hide all keys, including car keys, out of sight and away from the letterbox (remember a device could be used to hook keys through the letterbox) Install a visual burglar alarm Install good outside lighting Get a trusted neighbour to keep an eye on your property Leave radios or lights in your house on a timer to make the property appear occupied Make sure the fences around your garden are in good condition Secure bikes at home by locking them to an immoveable object inside a locked shed or garage Keep ladders and tools stored away; don't leave them outside where they could be used to break into your home Ensure side gates are locked to prevent access to the rear of the property Ensure rear fencing is in good repair Improve natural surveillance at the front of your property i.e. trim high hedges Mark your property with postcode and house number and register your property for free with Immobilise Consider joining or forming a Neighbourhood Watch scheme
Remove valuables from view of ground floor windows Store any high value items (i.e. jewellery, passports) in a properly secured safe or bank vault In most burglaries, the criminals broke into the house or flat through the door, either by forcing the lock or kicking it in. So make sure your doors are strong and secure. Consider fitting a bar for extra strength; a locksmith can advise you on how best to do it. Glass panels on doors are particularly vulnerable. If you have one on your door you could replace it with laminated glass, which is stronger. You can also buy a film in a DIY store that you can stick over the glass to make it harder to break. Home security and DIY shops sell inexpensive, key-operated locks to fit most kinds of windows. Fit window locks with keys to all downstairs windows and those upstairs that are easy to reach. If you're not sure who is at your door, don't open it. Check the identity of the caller by calling the company they are claiming to be from i.e. gas, electricity, water and police.