Sliding Glass Doors: Burglaries Waiting to Happen?

Sliding glass patio doors, also known as Arcadia doors, became popular in the 60’s and remain so today.  It’s no surprise, as they offer an open feeling and permit lots of light to enter the room.  However, in most cases, they are also shockingly easy for thieves to defeat.

Most sliding glass door locks are really just latches.  No key is required to open the lock, and a less-than-sturdy metal catch engages the lock.  Most standard sliding glass doors can be pried open in a matter of seconds.  Even if the lock holds up, the design of the door itself can be an issue.  Sliding glass doors slide in tracks.  If the door is lifted up and out of the track, it doesn’t matter what type of lock you have.  Fortunately, it’s relatively easy to solve either of these problems.

Unless the sliding door came equipped with one, it’s best to replace the standard latch with a keyed lock.  A qualified locksmith can take care of this for you.  In addition to better security, these locks also allow you to unlock and enter the patio door from the outside if you have a key – something most patio doors don’t allow.  A less expensive alternative (or addition) to a keyed lock is to use a sturdy dowel, bar or even a cut-off broom handle placed into the track of the door to prevent it from sliding open.  Even if a thief breaks the lock, they are unable to slide the door open.  Several commercial products, known as “Charley Bars” operate on this principle, and often have a hinged bar that raises or lowers to block the door from opening.  These can be more convenient than a home made dowel as they often rest well off the floor.

Finally, to prevent “lifting” of the door, open the patio door all the way and drive several screws into the upper door track at twelve-inch intervals.  Adjust these screws so that the top of the door barely clears the heads when you slide the door closed.  If properly adjusted, the top of the door will hit the screws if someone attempts to lift the door, preventing the door from coming off the track.

These solutions are quick and inexpensive.  If you have a sliding glass door that lacks these measures, don’t wait for a burglary – correct the problems before you become a victim.

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Without reliable statistical data, it would be difficult to speculate how effective the preventative measures for home invasions and burglaries would be. However, if I were a betting man, I’d venture a wager that those measures would be 80% effective in warding off the would-be burglar. There are too many other homes that don’t present such a risk. That being said, if there is something in your home the intruder wants (I mean really wants), he may have the brains to overcome any obstacle you place in his way. Once again, there are measures you can take to minimize injury in the event of an assault as a result of a home invasion. Keep in mind that these are measures taken by individuals that are not comfortable defending their home with a firearm (with the element of surprise, there may not be time enough to get the firearm.

1. This is going to sound silly. Plan and conduct rehearsals. Pick a few scenarios, develop courses of action and implement them in your plan. Obviously you won’t be able to plan for every scenario. Let you courses of action encompass many scenarios with minor adjustments.
2. Unless you believe that you are going to be killed anyway, don’t resist. Cooperate. Your valuables can be replaced. You cannot. Having said that, if able, do not allow yourself to be transported to another location. The odds are against survival.
3. If the Invader doesn’t have a firearm you can try the wasp spray if you have it in a strategic location like the umbrella basket at the door in the intruder’s eyes (See “Alternatives to Pepper Spray”).
4. Prepare a safe (panic) room into which you can escape. The door to this room should be reinforced to prevent the attacker from gaining entrance long enough for you to call for help. Make sure a cell phone has a good signal in that room.
5. Pre-planned signals that the neighbors are aware of. Whistles, signs in the window, any type of noise that may be unusual.
6. Use the panic alarm for your monitored home security system. Many systems now have key fobs, which means you can activate the alarm without having to go to the keypad. An audible alarm may scare the invader away. A silent alarm may allow the police the catch the crook.
7. This is easier said than done. Force yourself to stay calm. You’ll be able to think more effectively to develop a plan of escape.
8. Make mental notes of the attacker’s appearance. Anything you can remember will assist the authorities in apprehending him quickly.

This list is not comprehensive. The measures that can be utilized are open to the imagination. I can’t stress the importance of planning enough. Without a plan, it will be difficult to stay calm in the midst of the chaos of a home invasion. Since every situation will be different, you’ll have to tailor your response accordingly. Remember, in all situations, cool heads prevail!