Unlocked Doors

[BobK]

To Add: Medeco locks were initially made for the military years ago. Their deadbolts are second to none. They cannot be surpased as far as complete and total strength. Most other deadbolts have at least one weak point. Not Medeco. The cylinders are pick resisant and have hardened steel inserts to thwart drilling. The ice pick attack does not work nor does hammering or punching. Take it from someone who has tried. Several years ago a federal agency served a warrant in the early am hours arresting an entire family for drug trafficking. They could not get into the "storage building" due to a Medeco deadbolt so they called us out. It was not fun.

Don't get the wrong idea. This isn't a sales pitch. I just believe in Medeco.

 

[BigFunWMU]

No matter how good the lock is, you must make sure the door frame is strong enough for the lock to matter.

Here is a fun example:

I'm a pretty big guy, 6'4" and about 270. I work landscaping in the summer, so I have a decent amount of muscle mass too. I came home from work the other day, and walked around to the front of the house to get the mail. My roommates weren't home, and the doors were locked. So with the mail in one hand I unlocked the front door and opened it with my other hand; promptly ripping the door moulding with the P.O.S. chain lock screwed to it off the wall. I didn't even push hard, but with nothing but finishing nails holding the trim to the plaster and lath, and 1" screws holding the lock to that......

The point here, make sure your cool locks are attached to the FRAME of the door. 3" screws should be the minimum here, and make sure they bite into the frame. Also make sure the frame is good and strong. 2x4s are OK, but several 2x6s would be better, or steel better yet. A strong door is a must too, a solid core type works well.


Some other good stuff for other renters out there:
Make sure the landlord gets the locks re-keyed when you move in. Most landlords won't have a problem with that, be cautious about the ones that do.

Make sure the maintaince people/landlord have your cell number, go and seek them out and let them know that you would appreciate being notified before anyone comes in to fix stuff.

Any problems that come up need to be addressed right away. If you come home and the repair guy fixed something and left you door unlocked, you need to get after him to make sure it doesn't happen again.

Get to know your neighbors, help each other out watching for stuff that doesn't fit. ex: If the normal repair company is ABC, and the van out front is from XYZ call the management, even if the guy is just looking around the building.

 

[BillCA]

Here's another tactic that works pretty well in this scenario;

If the normal repair company is ABC, and the van out front is from XYZ call the management, even if the guy is just looking around the building.

Or if you just see someone wandering around your apt/condo/townhome complex.

Put on your best "friendly guy" face and ask them if they're lost or looking for an address. Most legitimate business folks will be able to give you an address pretty quickly and appreciate assistance (time is money, right?). You can direct them to the address and then casually stand at a short distance, observing them making contact. If anything seems hinky or you hear "but there's no problem with the dishwasher..." your alarms should be ringing.

My favorite is people driving around or wandering through the complex telling you that their "friend" lives there but they don't know the exact address. In this case, ask a misdirecting & leading question like "what building do they live in?" when your complex doesn't use building numbers or letters. If you get an answer like "Uh, I think it's building 'D'..." then you know he doesn't belong there. If your complex uses letters ask what building number and give an example -- "does he live in building 3600 or 3800?".

This gets you to the "target identified" stage. Ask for the buddy's last name or some identifier, then tell them "Nope, you're in the wrong place." Never correct them and let them know how you detected their errors, just tell them they're in the wrong location. Then note their descriptive info (or license nr) and notify the cops to check them out.

 

[Powderman]

A really big plus 1 to not attempting to clear a house or building by yourself.

If I respond to an alarm and find a door open, the order of the day (mandated by most Departments) is to WAIT FOR BACKUP. Then, when backup arrives, we go to work.

A consideration that I don't think some people take into mind is this: When we enter to clear a building or dwelling, EVERY LIVING BODY we find in that house is IMMEDIATELY considered hostile. The person we see standing in the hall with the gun in their hand will get one warning. We have NO way of knowing--unless we are acquainted personally with the owner or tenant--who you are.