Cincinnati Police
District 2
Crime Prevention
Door & Window Locks:
The following information is provided for informational services only. It is in no way intended to be an endorsement for any type of lock or home safety system.
The most important thing to remember about locks is you
must use them every time you leave the house, even if for just a few minutes during the
day. The most popular times for residential burglaries are weekday daylight hours. In over
1/2 of burglaries in Cincinnati, there is no forcible entry. In those cases, someone
simply left a door or window unlocked, thus inviting the burglar in. Good locks are no
protection if you leave extra keys in obvious places like under the doormat or in flower
pots.
The single cylinder dead bolt lock is key operated from the outside only. The interior
operation is a thumb knob. This lock is best utilized where there is no glass in the door
or within reach of the lock mechanism. When purchasing a dead-bolt lock, it is important
that the lock have a bolt which is constructed of case hardened steel and that it extends
a full one inch out and locks into place. When fully extended, the bolt should not be able
to be pushed back in by hand. Also, it is important that the hole in the door frame is
sufficient depth to allow the bolt to open the full one inch, otherwise it cannot lock in
place and can be pushed back with a knife or screwdriver.
Double cylinder dead bolt lock is key operated from both the inside and outside. It should
be used on doors where there is breakable glass in the door or within reach of the locking
mechanism. This makes it impossible for the burglar to break the glass and reach inside to
unlock the door.
For security reasons, you should not leave a key inserted in the inside portion of the
double cylinder lock. But at the same time, you should understand that without proper
preparation, a double cylinder deadbolt can become a fire trap. In addition to door keys
kept on your family's key chains, an extra key should be kept close to the door (taped
under a coffee table or stair bannister, etc.) where every member of the family knows it's
location and can easily access it in case of an emergency. You should weigh the importance
of your family's safety in a fire or other emergency before deciding to use double
cylinder deadbolt locks.
Sliding glass patio doors can be among the easiest entry points for burglars. Special
locks are available to secure the door against lifting and prying. Installing a
"charlie bar" can help keep the sliding door from being pried open. A cheaper
bar can be constructed using an old broom handle.
To prevent the sliding glass door from being lifted out of its track, it should be pinned.
This can be accomplished by purchasing a specially designed door pin, or by drilling a
hole in the door frame and inserting a nail.
Windows can also be prevented from being pried open by pinning them in the same manner.
Drill a small downward sloping hole into the top of the sliding portion of the window and
into the frame of the fixed or stationary part of the window. You can then insert a nail
or pin to help prevent the window from being pried open.
If you do not want to drill a hole in your window, a track lock is available that will fit
any type of aluminum window. The lock features a thumb screw which clamps down on the
track and prevents the window from being pried open. This type of lock allows you to open
the window for ventilation without compromising security.
Current time
Updated on November 24, 1998
Created by P.O. Eric Franz on November 24, 1998
