10 ms·

I've heard the common way a burglar opens a door is using a crowbar.

by martincmartin 5y ago

gameswithgo 5y ago
a swift kick or body slam often works too
- zffr 5y ago
  I’m not sure that’s so easy https://www.reddit.com/r/cringe/comments/jwpr1e/guy_tries_kicking_open_door_for_shark_tank_pitch/ https://www.reddit.com/r/cringe/comments/jwpr1e/guy_tries_ki...
slothtrop 5y ago
I'd sooner get door jam reinforcements for this reason. For everything else, there's alarms. Some are meant to detect windows breaking, but motion sensors are also a good catch all. Security-film on windows also makes breaking them more tedious.
- wayoutthere 5y ago
  Glass break sensors are almost never installed in residential homes; motion detectors are a lot cheaper, easier to install and more effective since a lot of attacks against windows don’t involve breaking the glass.
  - slothtrop 5y ago
    Can't get much cheaper than a DOBERMAN SECURITY Ultra-Slim.
IgorPartola 5y ago
From what I gather: Bump keys are the simplest way to bypass common locks. You can make one in a few hours and it’s pretty much universal. Most doors aren’t that strong. You can’t pick a lock but you can just knock the door in. If you can’t knock a door in, try a window. House has a security system? Get a ladder and go to the second floor. Most security systems are only installed on the first floor. Or cut the phone line outside the house as that’ll disable the security system entirely (unless it’s wireless). If the security system has a combined control panel and main board, just run in and smash it. Good systems separate the control panel from the main board to delay the burglar finding it and allowing the system to call for authorities. Basically locks, security systems, cameras, reinforced door frames, and protective film on windows are just delays, not preventatives. The idea is to delay the burglar enough such that they either get caught or so they decide to hit the next house without as many obstacles.
- BenjiWiebe 5y ago
  Bump keys aren't quite universal. There are different keyways. Plus, not all locks are pin-tumbler locks. Also, this I'm not sure of, but I think some quality pin-tumbler locks are bump-resistant.
  - ploxiln 5y ago
    That's all true, but what's interesting is how ubiquitous the worst pin-tumbler lock design is. (I'll be honest, I never shopped for a good lock either! I've only bought one extra lock for an apartment once, and didn't care to get anything but the typical kind!) The LPL is really similar to a lot of us, complaining that "right-click isn't really hacking, view-source isn't really hacking, come on your system is trivially broken" but about the locks practically everyone uses. We also complain about companies marketing Super Military-Strength Proprietary Encryption but basic key management not making sense ... similar to how LPL likes to get the Pro Max Security big beefy trailer/fence locks and show how they have some of the same trivial design bugs as the cheap locks.
- mschuster91 5y ago
  > You can’t pick a lock but you can just knock the door in. A knocked-out door has the disadvantage of being noisy and visible - random passersby may spot either the act or the result and alert the police, whereas most won't even spot the difference between someone using a legit key and a comb key. The more time passes between the burglary and the discovery, the better for the burglar - if you're already two counties away when the police establishes local roadblocks these won't catch you, CCTV camera or ALPR records get deleted, phone tower (=which phone was logged in at a certain time in a certain area) records grow bigger and harder to sift through, potential witnesses forget details.
  - IgorPartola 5y ago
    Show up in a pickup truck in an orange vest. Use power tools to remove the door or better yet a window. Act like you belong.
- 5y ago
wayoutthere 5y ago
Last time I called a locksmith to let me into my house (me losing my keys and locking myself out is a somewhat frequent occurrence) he didn’t even bother trying to pick it. Just took a few plastic wedges and used a rubber mallet to hammer them in between the door and the frame and the whole thing popped open. Took maybe 5 seconds. Of course, you can reinforce your door frame and this doesn’t work. But the next locksmith (like I said, regular occurrence) used a bump key to pick it and was in just as fast. Needless to say, I don’t trust door locks anymore.
- JKCalhoun 5y ago
  The simplest were the old car-jacks that you could put sideways across a door: a few clicks to expand the jack and you could push the door frame out of linear enough that you can swing the door right open — lock catch no longer reaches.
  - JshWright 5y ago
    This is my go-to technique for lockouts (I'm a firefighter, we'll get called for more "urgent" lockouts... a young child still inside, something on the stove, etc). There are plenty of custom made tools on the market that do a great job (with built-in pads to protect the door frame, etc). The only issue they commonly run into is a deadbolt with a throw long enough that you have to destroy the jamb and surrounding frame before it comes free.
    - tgsovlerkhgsel 5y ago
      Is this technique non-destructive and the frame returns to its original shape? From the description it sounded like it'd be way worse than something that destroys the entire door.
      - bbradley406 5y ago
        You're just bowing the framing out enough for the bolt to clear, so maybe 1/4" inch in each direction. The studs will pop right back, but you might need to re-align the hinges or the bolt plate after.
BrandoElFollito 5y ago
I saw a video where someone was opening doors with a hydraulic thing that moves heavyb things up (I do not know the English word for that, an inversed press). You find a strong pint to lean on (a wall, or the ground) and the door is forced open in a matter of seconds (something gives away, hinges or lock). This is why my lock is a smart one, to make it easier for people to get in (the ones I want to) and I know that a burglar is not going to analyze the emission spectrum but just force my door open. I would definitely prefer him to use technonoly and not break my door.

I've heard the common way a burglar opens a door is using a crowbar.

gameswithgo 5y ago

a swift kick or body slam often works too

zffr 5y ago
I’m not sure that’s so easy https://www.reddit.com/r/cringe/comments/jwpr1e/guy_tries_kicking_open_door_for_shark_tank_pitch/ https://www.reddit.com/r/cringe/comments/jwpr1e/guy_tries_ki...

slothtrop 5y ago

I'd sooner get door jam reinforcements for this reason. For everything else, there's alarms. Some are meant to detect windows breaking, but motion sensors are also a good catch all. Security-film on windows also makes breaking them more tedious.

wayoutthere 5y ago
Glass break sensors are almost never installed in residential homes; motion detectors are a lot cheaper, easier to install and more effective since a lot of attacks against windows don’t involve breaking the glass.
- slothtrop 5y ago
  Can't get much cheaper than a DOBERMAN SECURITY Ultra-Slim.

IgorPartola 5y ago

From what I gather: Bump keys are the simplest way to bypass common locks. You can make one in a few hours and it’s pretty much universal. Most doors aren’t that strong. You can’t pick a lock but you can just knock the door in. If you can’t knock a door in, try a window. House has a security system? Get a ladder and go to the second floor. Most security systems are only installed on the first floor. Or cut the phone line outside the house as that’ll disable the security system entirely (unless it’s wireless). If the security system has a combined control panel and main board, just run in and smash it. Good systems separate the control panel from the main board to delay the burglar finding it and allowing the system to call for authorities. Basically locks, security systems, cameras, reinforced door frames, and protective film on windows are just delays, not preventatives. The idea is to delay the burglar enough such that they either get caught or so they decide to hit the next house without as many obstacles.

BenjiWiebe 5y ago
Bump keys aren't quite universal. There are different keyways. Plus, not all locks are pin-tumbler locks. Also, this I'm not sure of, but I think some quality pin-tumbler locks are bump-resistant.
- ploxiln 5y ago
  That's all true, but what's interesting is how ubiquitous the worst pin-tumbler lock design is. (I'll be honest, I never shopped for a good lock either! I've only bought one extra lock for an apartment once, and didn't care to get anything but the typical kind!) The LPL is really similar to a lot of us, complaining that "right-click isn't really hacking, view-source isn't really hacking, come on your system is trivially broken" but about the locks practically everyone uses. We also complain about companies marketing Super Military-Strength Proprietary Encryption but basic key management not making sense ... similar to how LPL likes to get the Pro Max Security big beefy trailer/fence locks and show how they have some of the same trivial design bugs as the cheap locks.
mschuster91 5y ago
> You can’t pick a lock but you can just knock the door in. A knocked-out door has the disadvantage of being noisy and visible - random passersby may spot either the act or the result and alert the police, whereas most won't even spot the difference between someone using a legit key and a comb key. The more time passes between the burglary and the discovery, the better for the burglar - if you're already two counties away when the police establishes local roadblocks these won't catch you, CCTV camera or ALPR records get deleted, phone tower (=which phone was logged in at a certain time in a certain area) records grow bigger and harder to sift through, potential witnesses forget details.
- IgorPartola 5y ago
  Show up in a pickup truck in an orange vest. Use power tools to remove the door or better yet a window. Act like you belong.
5y ago

wayoutthere 5y ago

Last time I called a locksmith to let me into my house (me losing my keys and locking myself out is a somewhat frequent occurrence) he didn’t even bother trying to pick it. Just took a few plastic wedges and used a rubber mallet to hammer them in between the door and the frame and the whole thing popped open. Took maybe 5 seconds. Of course, you can reinforce your door frame and this doesn’t work. But the next locksmith (like I said, regular occurrence) used a bump key to pick it and was in just as fast. Needless to say, I don’t trust door locks anymore.

JKCalhoun 5y ago
The simplest were the old car-jacks that you could put sideways across a door: a few clicks to expand the jack and you could push the door frame out of linear enough that you can swing the door right open — lock catch no longer reaches.
- JshWright 5y ago
  This is my go-to technique for lockouts (I'm a firefighter, we'll get called for more "urgent" lockouts... a young child still inside, something on the stove, etc). There are plenty of custom made tools on the market that do a great job (with built-in pads to protect the door frame, etc). The only issue they commonly run into is a deadbolt with a throw long enough that you have to destroy the jamb and surrounding frame before it comes free.
  - tgsovlerkhgsel 5y ago
    Is this technique non-destructive and the frame returns to its original shape? From the description it sounded like it'd be way worse than something that destroys the entire door.
    - bbradley406 5y ago
      You're just bowing the framing out enough for the bolt to clear, so maybe 1/4" inch in each direction. The studs will pop right back, but you might need to re-align the hinges or the bolt plate after.

BrandoElFollito 5y ago

I saw a video where someone was opening doors with a hydraulic thing that moves heavyb things up (I do not know the English word for that, an inversed press). You find a strong pint to lean on (a wall, or the ground) and the door is forced open in a matter of seconds (something gives away, hinges or lock). This is why my lock is a smart one, to make it easier for people to get in (the ones I want to) and I know that a burglar is not going to analyze the emission spectrum but just force my door open. I would definitely prefer him to use technonoly and not break my door.