ᐅ Security key at the front door: yes or no?

@Golfi90 It’s a solid lock.
We will probably go with the Kaba Penta Cross. However, our doors use motorized locks and we also have different cylinder types (Swiss 22mm (7/8 inch) round and also Euro profile)...

@11ant I think burglars tend to focus on other things.

The important thing is to use a system that still has long patent protection. The Kaba from @Golfi90 or the Penta Cross are also difficult to replicate with photos and 3D printers.
As always, a comprehensive security system is necessary. It doesn’t help to have a great lock if someone can just break through the wall, or if the patio doors are simply glazed and not even monitored...

That’s true. Nowadays, very few people actually go through the front door.

rick2018 schrieb:

@11ant I think burglars focus on different things nowadays.

The classic model from the Erik Ode crime series, where burglars got their name from crowbars, is long retired. Today's professional has a trained eye for which keys are worth copying. 3D scans are fast, and the copy can be printed even by someone who cannot obtain original blanks.

Mycraft schrieb:

Exactly. Nowadays, very few break in through the front door.

At least not in first place with sheer force anymore; criminal methods are becoming "smarter," more "digital," and follow the trend toward "Industry 4.0."

---

https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/

Most burglaries are still carried out using traditional methods and target poorly secured houses. Professional criminals with advanced skills tend to focus on more lucrative targets rather than single-family homes.

The two locking systems mentioned are not easily reproducible using 3D printers. For those who want to go to the extreme with mechanical security, the Stealth Key might be worth looking into.

I also don’t see where a burglar would be able to see my key. I only take the key out when unlocking the door. In my new house, I won’t carry a key at all because of the fingerprint scanner.

Overall, the whole security concept has to work together. It’s better to have appropriate security ratings for windows and doors, an alarm system, motion detectors, cameras, a dog...

You can always get in somehow. The question is how much effort it takes and how high the risk of being detected is.

Musketier schrieb:

I would be interested in some statistics about how many break-ins happen through the front door. The weak spots are probably somewhere else.

I’m curious to see when the first break-ins occur through aerated concrete walls instead of the secured windows and doors.

Most break-ins occur through patio doors or easily accessible windows. Generally, burglars tend to take the easiest route. If that doesn’t work, they move on to the next house… and there are plenty of those. Many of the measures often recommended even by the criminal police advisory services are exaggerated and usually do not adequately account for the specific individual situation. No one breaks into a single-family home through a visible front door—you wouldn’t even need to lock it. In contrast, tilt windows or patio doors are much more relevant. Ultimately, as with heating or windows, there is no one-size-fits-all solution.

hampshire schrieb:

Good question!
Burglars break in where it’s easiest. Common points of entry are balcony doors, tilted windows, and basement windows. Front doors can also be breached quickly if they have the wrong lock—either by lockpicking (cheap cylinder) or by “pulling” the cylinder, which breaks at its narrowest point (no anti-pull protection). Breaking windows is another popular method, but generally too noisy. Glass cutters are used as well, but mostly by professionals who carefully select their targets.
In Cologne, there is a master locksmith who offers door openings as a side job for a small fee and can open over 90% of locks without damage.

I’m afraid there might be some crime thriller influence here. Yes, burglars go where it’s easiest—this is generally the case. Front doors (in detached houses, not apartments) are typically not targeted; attacks like cylinder pulling usually occur in multi-unit residential buildings. Breaking windows in residential houses is almost entirely ruled out. Of course, there are various specialists and every scenario has happened at least once. Still, I’d suggest following this principle: what is common is common—what is rare remains rare. Otherwise, you’d have to guard against every theoretical possibility of break-in, which would become impractical and unpleasant.