Increasing security of external door with plexiglass window panes

I’m looking for some cost effective ways to increase the security of this building’s (unfortunately) glass windowed door. Pictures here and inside deadbolt knob here.

As you can see from the picture, the door has multiple panes that are filled with 1/4” plexiglass. The middle panes have steel behind them to prevent someone from breaking the panes and reaching the knob for the deadbolt on the others side. Unfortunately, we’re experiencing break ins where thieves have spent over 20 minutes breaking into one of the lower plexiglass panes and then are able to reach the deadbolt knob on the other side despite the fact that the knob has a steel box around it to prevent this. Luckily, our other interior doors have latch guards on them, and nothing has been stolen (yet).

So the current security features we have for this door are:

  1. Latch guard on the outside (steel)
  2. Deadbolt knob box (inside, pictured)
  3. Steel panels behind middle plexiglass panes
  4. Security cameras (not pictured)

Given that people are still able to break the front plexiglass (if given enough time) and potentially wriggle into the property through one of the panes, I’m considering the following potential security improvements.

  1. Adding additional steel plates behind the four windows above the existing plates and four windows below. This would prevent someone from both breaking the windows, reaching the deadbolt knob, and wiggling through the panes entirely (I think the very top windows are too high for this to be an issue). The minor downside is that we lose a lot of light out of these windows and cost might be high for the plates.
  2. Adding security film to every window. This would be somewhat inexpensive and would add to the time it would take someone to break one of the smaller windows. Not sure how secure that would be besides making someone very tired.
  3. Glass break sensors/alarm
  4. Modify deadbolt knob security (can’t key the inside since it would trap delivery drivers etc.)
  5. Do all 4!

Any other recommendations or suggested pros/cons to these ideas that you would make in order to make this door more secure for less than $1-2k? Interested in the most cost effective, bang-for-buck solution(s). Thanks.

submitted by /u/Vortigaunt11
[link] [comments]

March 28, 2023
Read More >>