Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
source of entry. Look for solid windows and frames. Avoid windows that
are sectioned into numerous panes; they allow intruders to remove an
individual pane easily and quietly. Once that is accomplished, the intruder
can reach in and disengage the lock on the window. Someone you defi-
nitely don't want in your home has just gotten instant access to you and
your family. Solid-pane windows set in sturdy frames require greater force
to open. Of course, they can always be shattered, and generally they can
be pried open as well. The trick here is to make would-be intruders use
a great deal of force to gain entry. If someone tries to force your window
at night in this manner, the attendant noise will be sufficient to wake you
up. Remember, most thieves and terrorists will spend time watching a
target before making an attempt. Make sure that when they look your
house over, they instantly realize that they will need to expend some effort
to get in. The preferred approach is to secure windows with protective
grilles. Again, criminals can defeat grilles with tools and time, but the idea
is to cause potential intruders to consider how long they will need to be
exposed while attempted to get through the grilles. If grilles are used,
emergency releases must be installed to allow for evacuation in the event
of a fire.
Sliding doors are common all over the world. Depending on their
design, they can either offer easy access to a criminal or present great dif-
ficulty. The first thing to remember is that a glass sliding door can always
be shattered. This is not always as easy as it sounds. During a joint Drug
Enforcement Administration (DEA)/New York State Police investigation in
Long Island, New York, an entry was being made into the home of a sus-
pected cocaine dealer. Once inside, the team encountered a sliding glass
door in the
interior of the house.
The home's owner had added on several
rooms to the back of the house. The sliding door, which had originally
provided access to the backyard, was now in the middle of the new, larger
structure. This unexpected impediment stopped the New York State
Police Mobile Response Team (MRT), the lead element in the raid, cold.
They had breached the entry door and had left their heavy tools outside.
One intrepid team member picked up a large television and hurled it
against the glass. Although this big, athletic guy threw the TV with great
force, the agents and officers watched it bounce harmlessly off the glass
door. The team then had to hold position in the middle of the entry while
someone went out to the truck and brought in a large pry bar called a hal-
lagan tool, which was used to smash through the glass. However, the delay
