Burglar Gains Access through Sliding Glass Door in Newport Beach, California

Burglar behavior is well documented. By that I mean that the alarm industry and law enforcement professionals know a lot about how the bad guys operate, what encourages them, and what deters them. For instance, a well-known study from Rutgers University found that burglar alarms work – and that you are only one third as likely to experience a burglary if you have a monitored home alarm system (and you make that known with yard signs and window decals).

And when burglars do break in, we know very well where they gain entry. All too often it’s a door or window that is left unlocked – and in that case, shame on the homeowner for making it easy. But when the burglar has to use force, an increasingly favorite target is the sliding glass door, as described in this article.

A home in Newport Beach was recently burglarized after the suspect got in through a sliding glass door, police reported. The burglary took place on Aug. 9 between 6:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. at a home in the 20100 block of Birch Street. According to police, the suspect went into the home after defeating a lock on the sliding glass door. An Xbox, Wii and games were reported stolen from the home.

Several Ways Intruders Defeat Sliding Glass Doors

That is a shame. Unfortunately, many sliding glass doors are points of vulnerability in a home’s perimeter, through poor design or how they are used. In the story above, the burglar was able to defeat the lock, and that’s not unusual: many “sliders” have weak locking mechanisms. But there are other methods: here’s a list of some ways your sliding glass doors may offer a simple access point to your prized possessions.

• Most sliding glass doors are located on the side or rear of the house, and may be left unlocked.
• Weak slider locks can be forced open.
• Some slider door panels doors can be lifted right off the track.
• Some intruders will break right through the glass.

What You Can Do

For starters, watch this video on eHow that specifically addresses sliding glass doors, and the best way to protect yours. A good lock, a dowel or bar that makes it hard to force a door, and wireless monitored alarm system make for a good start! And as for the right kind of protection, many smart homeowners use both a wireless door sensor and a wireless glassbreak sensor for the highest level of protection.

Being wise to the ways of burglars is more important than ever – wherever they may try to gain access. You may also want to check out FrontPoint’s Top 10 Home Security Tips, and see how your home stacks up. Anything that increases your safety, security, and peace of mind is important to us. We’re the leader in wireless home security, and the #1 ranked alarm company in the US – and we earned that top spot with technology, pricing, and customer satisfaction that leaves the others far behind. These days, you even have to worry about some of the alarm salesmen coming to your door! That’s why smart shoppers choose FrontPoint – just read the reviews, and you’ll want a FrontPoint wireless home alarm system, too.