What Are the Most Common Ways Burglars Break Into a Home?
Quick Answer: Most burglars get into a home through the front door, a first-floor window, or the back door. According to ADT, those three spots account for roughly 79% of break-ins nationwide (front door 34%, first-floor windows 23%, back door 22%), with the garage, basement, and unlocked storage areas making up the rest.
The good news is that break-ins are getting rarer, not more common. The FBI’s 2024 crime data shows 779,542 burglaries nationwide, the lowest number on record and down 8.6% from the year before. Residential properties made up about half of those cases. Virginia’s burglary rate is already well below the national average, and Hampton Roads has followed that same downward trend.
That’s encouraging, but it doesn’t mean you can skip the basics. About 38% of burglaries involve no force at all: a door or window that was simply left unlocked. And more break-ins now happen during the day, when houses sit empty for work and school, than at night. The three spots below are still where thieves look first, so they’re the best place to start securing your home.
How Do Burglars Get Through Exterior Doors?
Front, back, and patio doors are still the number one point of entry, and most of the time it’s because the door itself is weak or the lock wasn’t fully engaged. A door that looks nice from the curb can still be an easy target if it’s hollow-core, has a flimsy strike plate, or has glass panels next to the lock that a burglar can break and reach through.
A few upgrades make a real difference:
- Choose solid wood, fiberglass, or steel doors over hollow-core options, which can be kicked in with one hit.
- Reinforce the strike plate with a heavy-duty metal plate and 3-inch screws that reach into the door frame’s stud, not just the trim.
- Install a Grade 1 deadbolt with at least a 1-inch throw.
- Avoid glass panels beside the door, or use laminated glass there so it can’t be broken and reached through to unlock the door.
- Add a rod or auxiliary lock to sliding and patio doors so the panel can’t be lifted off its track.
- Rekey or replace exterior locks right away if you lose a key or move into a new home.
- Add a video doorbell. Plenty of burglars knock first to see if anyone answers, and a doorbell camera lets you check without opening the door.
If your back door is a sliding glass door, the weak points are a little different from a swinging door. Our sliding door security tips cover track locks and a few other details specific to patio doors.
Mr. Rogers Windows installs entry doors with security built into the frame and hardware from the start, so you’re not relying on add-on fixes to keep a weak door secure.
How Do Burglars Get In Through Windows?
Windows account for close to a quarter of break-ins, and burglars usually aren’t breaking the glass. They’re forcing open a weak latch, especially on windows hidden by landscaping or on the side of the house. A loud breaking window draws attention, so most burglars would rather quietly pop a lock and slip in unnoticed.
To make your windows harder to force open:
- Replace basic latches with keyed locks on double-hung and sliding windows.
- Keep window locks fully engaged, not just resting closed. It sounds obvious, but it’s the most common thing people skip.
- Trim back bushes and landscaping near ground-floor windows so there’s nowhere to work unseen.
- Consider laminated or tempered glass, which holds together and resists impact instead of shattering into an easy opening.
- Add glass-break sensors on windows you can’t easily see or hear from elsewhere in the house.
Every Renewal by Andersen window from Mr. Rogers Windows comes standard with a multi-point locking system, not as an upgrade, along with a Fibrex frame that holds its shape over time so the lock stays aligned and actually engages the way it’s supposed to.
How Do Burglars Get In Through the Garage?
Garage doors are a smaller share of break-ins, but they’re an easy target when the opener is outdated or the door between the garage and the house isn’t secured. Older garage door openers can be cloned with a cheap code-grabber device, and once someone is in the garage, an unsecured interior door gives them a quiet way into your home.
Close that gap with a few changes:
- Use a rolling-code garage door opener instead of an older fixed-code model, which can be captured and replayed by a code grabber.
- Keep your garage remote off your car’s visor. A keychain remote or smartphone app is safer if the car itself is ever broken into.
- Secure the emergency release lever with a zip tie or shield kit so it can’t be “fished” from outside through the top of the door.
- Treat the door from the garage into your house like an exterior door, with its own deadbolt.
- Padlock or C-clamp the track on both sides when you’re away for an extended trip.
When Are Break-Ins Most Likely to Happen?
Most residential burglaries now happen during the day rather than at night, and summer is the peak season. FBI data shows daytime break-ins edging out nighttime ones, with the highest-risk window being weekday late mornings and early afternoons, when houses sit empty for work and school. Break-ins also run noticeably higher in summer than in winter, according to Justice Department research, likely tied to open windows and vacations.
Once a burglar is inside, they’re rarely there long. Most break-ins wrap up in 10 to 12 minutes or less, so anything that slows entry down, even by a minute or two, makes a real difference. That’s the same reason a visible alarm sign, a doorbell camera, or a light on a timer works: burglars who think a house might be occupied, or might be watched, usually move on to an easier target.
What Makes Renewal by Andersen Windows and Doors More Secure?
Every Renewal by Andersen window and door Mr. Rogers Windows installs has security features built into the design, not added on afterward. A few of the ways that shows up:
- Fibrex composite frames. Fibrex is about twice as strong as vinyl and doesn’t warp, swell, or shrink the way wood and lower-grade vinyl can. That matters for security because a warped frame is exactly what causes locks to stop engaging fully in the first place.
- Multi-point locking systems. Instead of a single lock at one spot on the frame, our windows and patio doors lock at multiple points along the sash, which spreads out the force needed to pry one open.
- Tempered and laminated glass options. Laminated glass in particular holds together even when struck, instead of shattering into a clean opening.
- Factory-trained installation. A well-built window or door installed poorly still leaves gaps and weak points. Our Certified Master Installers make sure the hardware, frame, and opening all line up the way they’re supposed to.
We’re window and door specialists, not a security company, so we’d never tell you strong doors and windows are the whole answer. Pair them with the basics: locking up, good lighting, a doorbell camera, and a monitored alarm if you want one. That covers both the entry points and the deterrents.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common entry point for burglars?
The front door. Industry data from ADT puts it at around 34% of break-ins, mostly because the door was unlocked or the lock wasn’t strong enough to resist forcing.
Do burglars break in more during the day or at night?
Slightly more often during the day. FBI data shows daytime residential burglaries edging out nighttime ones, with weekday late mornings and early afternoons, when most people are at work or school, being the highest-risk window.
How can I make my exterior doors more secure?
Start with a Grade 1 deadbolt, a reinforced strike plate with long screws into the door frame’s stud, and a solid wood, fiberglass, or steel door instead of hollow-core. A video doorbell adds another layer since it lets you see who’s there before you answer.
Are Renewal by Andersen windows and doors more secure than standard replacement windows?
Yes. They come standard with multi-point locking systems and Fibrex composite frames that hold their shape over time, plus the option of laminated or tempered glass, features that aren’t standard on many other window and door brands.
Does a home security system alone protect against break-ins?
Not on its own. A security system helps you respond faster and can deter a burglar who’s checking for one, but the physical strength of your doors and windows determines how hard your home is to get into in the first place. The strongest approach combines both.
Ready to Make Your Home Harder to Break Into?
Mr. Rogers Windows offers free, no-obligation consultations on entry doors, patio doors, and replacement windows throughout Hampton Roads and surrounding communities. We’ll walk through your home’s specific weak points and show you options that fit your budget.
Mr. Rogers Windows | 2100 Scenic Parkway, Suite 101, Chesapeake, VA 23323 | (757) 512-6242
Showroom Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30am-5:00pm, Saturday-Sunday Closed
Serving Hampton Roads Since 1986: Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Suffolk, Newport News, Hampton, Portsmouth, Yorktown, Williamsburg, Smithfield, Gloucester, Elizabeth City, Moyock, Outer Banks, and surrounding communities.
Mr. Rogers Windows is Hampton Roads’ exclusive source for Renewal by Andersen replacement windows and doors. We combine 40 years of local expertise with industry-leading products and factory-trained installation to enhance the comfort, efficiency, and value of your home.
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