Is it a good idea to lock internal doors when not in home?

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sam.ssrs
sam.ssrs Posts: 41 Forumite
in In my home (includes DIY) MoneySaving
I recently got broken into so have become very paranoid about it. I want to everything I can to keep these scumbags out of house.

I was thinking if I lock the internal doors when I am not in the house, it will make the burglars spend more time breaking through another door before they can reach the master bedroom or the places where they believe everyone keeps their valuables. If they can peek through the window and see that the internal doors are closed, they may get a lie that it's not with their effort. By the time they break through the main/patio door or the window, the alarm would have gone off. So they have very little time left to finish the job. Another hurdle in the way, may put them off.

But I am not sure obviously. One of my friend who got broken into had all his internal doors locked. The angry burglar broke a couple of doors. The last thing I want is an annoyed burglar damaging the property as he/she could not get what he/she wanted.

Anyone has any experience with locking internal doors when out?
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  • bris
    bris Posts: 10,548 Forumite
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    If they are already inside locking internal doors will probably cost more as they will just get kicked in.
  • shaun_from_Africa
    shaun_from_Africa Posts: 12,858 Forumite
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    Although as brist says, they may break a door or two, if you have an alarm going off then they may think that the extra time taken to get into the locked rooms isn't worth it.

    IMO, it all depends on what type of door, frame and locks you have.
    A mainly hollow internal door with a poor quality lock could probably be opened with a swift kick but a solid door with a good lock going into a solid door frame may take a lot longer and with an alarm going off, the burglar may think that time is one think they don't have.
  • tacpot12
    tacpot12 Posts: 7,972 Forumite
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    Do you have CCTV? I would have thought this would have been more of a deterrent.
    The comments I post are my personal opinion. While I try to check everything is correct before posting, I can and do make mistakes, so always try to check official information sources before relying on my posts.
  • mchale
    mchale Posts: 1,886 Forumite
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    tacpot12 wrote: »
    Do you have CCTV? I would have thought this would have been more of a deterrent.


    Not if they are wearing hoodies/balaclava
    ANURADHA KOIRALA ??? go on throw it in google.
  • crazyshady
    crazyshady Posts: 329 Forumite
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    What about putting some golf balls behind the front door and underneath the windows and then about 10 feet ahead a basin filled with slime and that gives you time to hear them and run out and bash them a stick.
  • jonnygee2
    jonnygee2 Posts: 2,086 Forumite
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    Once they are inside, they are inside. I doubt a locked internal door will create much of a barrier, but even if it did, say, stop them from getting into your bedroom, what difference would it really make? You'd still have been broken in to.

    At any rate - who actually has locks on all of their internal doors?
  • theonlywayisup
    theonlywayisup Posts: 16,031 Forumite
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    crazyshady wrote: »
    What about putting some golf balls behind the front door and underneath the windows and then about 10 feet ahead a basin filled with slime and that gives you time to hear them and run out and bash them a stick.

    You've been watching Home Alone again haven't you! :D
  • Mistral001
    Mistral001 Posts: 5,349 Forumite
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    A locked room might suggest that there is something of value in the room so it might have the opposite effect of than intended. If Chummy is disturbed before he kicks down the door he might want to return to get all the loot he thinks there is behind the locked door.
  • googler
    googler Posts: 16,103 Forumite
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    Invest in a camera system to monitor the outside, with motion activation and alerts to mobile/tablet/e-mail. If they're already in, you're too late.

    I/we use, and recommend Arlo.

    https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5980419
  • phill99
    phill99 Posts: 9,093 Forumite
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    I run a maintenance company and did an insurance quote last year. The customer had had a burglary and had locked all of her internal doors thinking she was clever.


    Reality is that the internal doors were of very poor quality, as were the frames and locks. They didn't stand a chance against the boot of a burglar. The doors were completely destroyed as were the frames and the locks were still in tact.


    6 internal frames and doors had to be replaced. It didn't stop the burglars getting all of what they wanted.


    The best deterrent is to stop them getting in the house in the first place - good external locks, external security ;lighting, maybe an alarm.
    Eat vegetables and fear no creditors, rather than eat duck and hide.
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