Burglars often gain access to homes through cellar doors

The winter months traditionally see an increase in domestic burglaries. Burglars use the cover of darkness to target vulnerable properties. But they do not usually enter a home through the front door: Thieves often break in through cellar doors or windows, climb over roofs or prise open garage side doors – since cellar doors or garages with direct access to houses are not always burglar proof. Moreover, they are usually less visible, providing excellent conditions for burglars to “go about their work”.

40 break-ins during May and June 2009, 112 in November and December – these figures from the German city of "Brunswick", with a population of 250,000, clearly show that burglars prefer to operate during the long dark nights of autumn and winter. The best way to stop potential intruders is to ensure that all entry points to a property are secure. “Burglars are under pressure to get in and get out quickly. They will stop trying to enter a property after just a few seconds and move on to an easier target,” explains Sven Diembeck, security expert at German door manufacturer Teckentrup (Verl). To ensure that unwanted guests cannot enter a property, doors and windows should always be locked before people go out – even if it is only for a short time. 

DIN resistance classes provide security

Even though cellar entrances can give burglars the perfect cover to break into a house, they are often fitted with easy-to-open wooden doors and inadequate locks, particularly in older buildings. And burglars are quite aware of this fact. Doors tested to DIN resistance class 2 (WK2) provide effective protection. Multiple locking, steel security bolts and robust hinges, as well as anti-lifting devices and anti-drilling and extraction protection guarantee that they can only be defeated with a lot of patience and the right tools. “Cost-effective, DIN-tested models are available for cellar entrances.Always remember: security is more important than looks,” says the security expert Sven Diembeck.

An entry point to a property through the garage increases the risk of break-ins: Garages are often left open, and older doors are child’s play for experienced burglars. Furthermore, doors which provide direct access from the garage to the house are often left unlocked or offer little resistance to skeleton keys or crowbars. Double protection is the ideal solution. WK2 doors should always be chosen for side entrances, and direct entry points from garages must offer fire protection. Sven Diembeck also recommends sound and heat insulation: “This stops cold drafts and engine noises from entering a building. ”Burglar proof doors with a TÜV seal of approval stop would-be intruders from entering garages – which are often used to store expensive garden tools, bicycles, etc.