Do Door Locks Provide Security?

Take the case of car thieves. Every day we hear about people whose valuables are stolen because they did not lock their doors. But door locks only keep out unprepared thieves. There are many car robberies where the thieves break into the vehicle. Car alarms significantly reduce these car thefts.

The same holds true for homes and businesses. If the thieves really want in, they will be prepared and they will get in. 

There are extra security locksets that will make things more difficult for would-be thieves but they can only slow the process somewhat or divert their location of entry. 

I have been in the construction business for over thirty-five years. I have seen the damage done to doors, frames and windows caused by robbers in order to enter a premise and claim their treasures.

Now don’t get me wrong. Locksets are necessary and the more secure the better. They will save you from a high percentage of attempts at robbery by those unprepared thieves that we spoke about earlier. If your home or business is secured, these scavengers will simply give up and leave. 

But there are many thieves that prepare themselves for their entry into your sanctuaries. They will stop at nothing to get in. 

This is where the other forms of security kick in. A security camera can not stop the entry from an intruder but if would-be thieves know that the property has surveillance they may not even try to enter. If they do you will have footage of the intruders to help apprehend them. 

Alarms are another weapon available in your security arsenal. Again they can not stop the entry of would-be robbers. However the alarm if audible may scare the thieves off. And with monitored systems a call will be made to the authorities who can then respond in an expedient manner. 

There are many other response type security products such as the thick, blinding fog producing canisters that are activated upon alarm. But these types of security like the others mentioned above are not pre-emptive. 

To have preventative security you will require locksets. Small signs about your security systems and alarms will help reduce the number of would-be break-ins as well. Prepared thieves have scoped the home or business out in advance and upon seeing the signs may be deterred from even trying to break in. 

So where does all of this take us? 

Locksets are indeed necessary as an integral part of a much larger arsenal required to protect your valuable assets. 

Brian A Schmidt is author and publisher of a Prefab Metal Building website. A small community in Southwestern Ontario, Canada is home to Brian and his lovely wife of 34 years, Carol. Brian and Carol have three fantastic grown children and four wonderful small grandchildren. As the owner of a small construction company and construction manager for a few companies over the years he has had extensive experience in all sectors of the construction industry. These include metal commercial buildings, industrial buildings, residential buildings and institutional building. Gardening, woodworking in his backyard workshop and cruise vacationing take up his “free” time.