Did you know that it only takes seconds for an experienced burglar to break into a home?

It’s true, and with thousands of property crimes in Melbourne, it is always wise to review and update your home security plan.

Even if you have already exerted effort, time and money to reinforce or lock your front door and windows, your home could still be vulnerable—especially if you have a sliding glass door. These kinds of doors are often left unsecured, making them a favourite target for burglars.

• Sliding doors are often unlocked.  People often forget to lock the back sliding glass doors.
• Sliding doors have locks and latches that are easy to “pick”. Even if they are locked, many can be unlocked simply by jiggling the handle. Latches may not be enough to deter an experienced thief. Most built-in sliding door locks are really more like simple latches, and would-be burglars can easily bypass them just by jiggling the door a bit. 
• Sliding doors advertise what’s in your home. Those large windows make it easy to see all the great stuff you have that burglars want. They show off the goods and are essentially large windows into your home which give burglars a front-row seat to view electronics, art, and other valuables.
• Sliding doors are in your backyard or often hidden from view. In the backyard or on the side of a home, sliding glass doors tend to be fairly concealed. There is less chance of being seen by neighbours or passersby. Whether they’re installed in the back or on the side of a home, sliding glass doors tend to be fairly concealed. This means fewer prying eyes, which gives thieves the opportunity to enter unnoticed.
• Sliding doors are made of glass. If all else fails, glass breaks pretty easily. And since sliding glass doors are tempered glass for safety, burglars don’t have to worry about getting cut. Because of their material, sliding doors aren’t as intrinsically secure as a door made of steel or solid wood. If a thief really wants to get in, breaking the glass panels or pushing the doors off their tracks isn’t too difficult to pull off. It takes more work and has more chance of being noticed, but it’s a vulnerability that a determined burglar could exploit.

How you can prevent or deter burglars from breaking through your sliding glass door is by bypassing the “lock”. Install a better sliding glass door lock like:

Security bars. Security bars are strong metal bars that attach to one side of the door frame and then are extended or folded into place and brace against the sliding door to lock it into place.

You can create something similar yourself. Cut a dowel or piece of 1×1 wood to the width of your tracks when closed. Then place the brace in the tracks to “lock” the door.

Traditional sliding door locks. The most common type of sliding door lock is a basically a bolt that attaches to the sliding door. When shut, the bolt slides up into the frame of the door to secure it. A key then locks the bolt in position.

How sliding door locks work. Image via Amazon.

Double bolt locks. This is a newer type of sliding door lock. Double bolt locks are 2 pieces. One piece attaches to the frame of your door. The other attaches to the sliding door. When shut, the piece that attaches to the frame nests inside of the piece that attaches to the door. Metal bolts then slide into the piece attached to your frame to secure the door.

Door sensors. While not a substitute for a good lock, door sensors help keep your family and belongings safe. When the door is opened, they will trigger your alarm. And a sounding alarm can be enough to scare off some burglars because they don’t want attention called to what they’re doing.

References:
https://www.safewise.com