Someone attempted to kick in my door

Tue Dec 27, 2011 9:12 am by taxpimp

On Thursday I left to take my son to school and then go out an pick up a few things for Christmas. I live in an old mill hill in the upstate of SC and we have some pretty good neighbors. I got a text from my neighbor while I was about 5 mins out from my house saying that there was a black F150 parked at my house. I texted back that I don't know anyone in a black F150. He got a description of the truck and the guy that walked around my house and then walked out onto his porch, and the guy saw him and jumped in his truck and left. I showed up less than 30 seconds later, and I see that my screen door is propped open and two dirty footprints are on my door to the right of the knob and deadbolt. I called the police. Our town has insanely high property taxes but you get what you pay for. The cops showed up two minutes after the call to the non-emergecy number. The cop looked at the prints got a quick run down from the neighbor and they caught the guy four streets over in about five minutes by swarming the neighborhood with six units. The guy had several warrants on him already. It appears that he had already hit three houses on our street after everyone went to work. He got into all of the other houses with one kick. The cop inspected my door to see why he did not get into mine. I have a metal security door with a reinforced hardwood frame. I have used 2 inch drywall screws in each hinge and to secure the deadbolt plate. Most importantly the deadbolt position was a real tight fit (i.e. no play in the door once it is locked. He said that with that set-up it would take a Swat ram to get into that door quickly. The guy felt like it was going to take too long so he left for an easier house. I am glad that they got the guy and no one got hurt.

Moral: check your doors to make sure they are tight and have better than stock screws in the hardware.

Tue Dec 27, 2011 9:36 am by roccman

dang tax pimp!

nice work on your door - i set up mine pretty much the same way - i give the screws a shot of gorilla glue on the way in as well.

Tue Dec 27, 2011 10:10 am by taxpimp

The Gorilla glue is something that I haven't thought of...that is a great idea roccman! When I was growing up in a bad neighborhood we also had a bolt that attached to the back of the door that went into the floor too...which really made it difficult to kick in if someone was home.

Tue Dec 27, 2011 10:46 am by Little Joe

I bar my doors that swing in with a 2x4 with a tight wedge so when you hit, it holds the door in to make sure the dead bolt lock hold!Gives you more time to grab the old shot gun! :twisted:

little joe

Tue Dec 27, 2011 4:45 pm by hamlet_jones

I rehung my steel doors so they open outwards. This gives the full bearing of the frame to resist kicks and battering rams, as well as provides a way to quickly sweep salesmen off the stoop.

Tue Dec 27, 2011 8:48 pm by plainsman

Just a thought from an old carpenter.....sheet rock screws aren't that strong; decking screws are better, torx head (star drive) are better yet. In fact, stocking up on various lengths of decking and torx head screws (as well as driver heads) is part of my prep, both for using and bartering.

Wed Dec 28, 2011 11:03 am by Earth_Girl

hamlet_jones wrote:I rehung my steel doors so they open outwards. This gives the full bearing of the frame to resist kicks and battering rams, as well as provides a way to quickly sweep salesmen off the stoop.

That might prove to be a problem if you ever needed to get out through that door, and someone purposely blocked it off. The door wouldn't be able to be opened at all in that case.

Taxpimp, glad your OK and the guy got caught. Feel bad for those whom he robbed, perhaps they should've taken their home defense more seriously.

Reminds me of the Discovery Channel show It Takes A Thief.

Thu Jan 05, 2012 9:06 pm by hutoftung

I don't see what the gorilla glue would do except keep the screws from coming out if you're trying to change the frame (and for that you'd need to open the door already). Sheet rock screws don't have great shear strength (as plainsman said), which is why I recommend actually using framing nails to mount the jambs, even if you start it with finish nails or sheetrock screws to make it easier. You can also get better screws for the job, just ask at a hardware store. Perhaps the ordinary wood screws would have the highest shear strength.

If you do what Hamlet Jones said, it might make it easier to pry the door out of the way, since if you pop the pins on the hinges (assuming that's possible, and with better exterior hinges it shouldn't be) you'll have only the deadbolt/lock to keep the door in place. Also you won't be able to have a screen door to keep weather off the main door, unless you have a vestibule. Remember that the stops are often held on with tiny brads, so install them with large screws or nails that go into the framing behind the jambs.

Also, as Earthgirl mentioned, it's more easily blocked.

Thu Jan 05, 2012 9:22 pm by WhiskyTangoFoxtrot

I have a window AC unit. That episode has me worried now. lol

Someone attempted to kick in my door

Someone attempted to kick in my door

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