Rattling around the web, researching rescue tools, I came across

New York City Fire Department
FORCIBLE ENTRY REFERENCE GUIDE. December, 2006. TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES:

http://www.vententersearch.com/supplemental/fdny_fe.pdf

Why did I post this?:
Some day I may need or want to rescue someone. Or get out myself. And if you're going to rescue a damsel in distress it is best if you show that you know what your doing. No damsel worth rescuing wants a bumbling idiot. She can grow into that opinion after you're married.

It's pretty neat and I'm a curious ape descendant. Some of you are also curious sorts. I always wondered how they did it. Now I have some idea of how they do it.

Knowing how they do it, and knowing which locks they find hardest to get through, helps me select locks and design doors, windows to resist intruders. Just make sure you can get out and the FD can still get in. Good thing most burglars are wimps and most firemen aren't.

Finding out what tools they prefer to use from people who do this sort of thing daily gives me valuable insights and guides my selection of tools. Conclusion -- two strong people with irons, Halligan and flat-head axe, can get through almost anything. Just a matter of time and effort.

Pretty scary if you tend to worry about keeping people out. Let me assure you that knowing these techniques is not IMHO any great help to thieves because:
Using them is hard work, thieves are not known for their willingness to do a lot of hard labor, or they would have a job. Odds are if your house is well secured most burglars will move on to a less fortified home. Most homes that are broken into were left unsecured or had very easy to defeat locks.

Most of the tools used are large, heavy and expensive. Carrying around a 42" Kelly is going to attract attention. Most burglars can't swing that sort of cash and are reluctant to draw that sort of attention to themselves.

Many of the techniques require two people. Often one to hold the bar and another to swing a sledge or axe. Your average junkie looking for a quick score is not a team player.

Fire departments use specialized techniques to limit damage. A determined intruder could simply chainsaw through the wall on any wood frame house, or beat a hole with a sledge hammer through the wall of a masonry home. Wood or masonry backing a truck, preferably a stolen one because it is hard on the chrome, into most any house will pretty much guarantee entry. Locks keep the relatively honest people out.

Besides all that, I know that only the finest people come to this site, and all of you will only use your new found power for good. No doubt.

In most circumstances I think a common thief couldn't afford the time involved. I don't recall the source but IIRC the average home burglery takes under 90 seconds or so. If there's an alarm they literally are in and out well before law enforcement can arrive unless they were right out front. If by chance the occupant was home you'd be taking a terrible risk breaking in with a sledgehammer or something...if that homeowner is armed you sure aren't gonna have the element of surprise! You'd probably be greeted by several loads of 00 buck.

A trick that probably saved me from losing a lot of stuff recently - 2 1/2 or 3 inch screws. Replace both screws in the strike plates with these. The short screws that come with the lock are next to useless. The longer screws go thru the door frame casing and into the framing, making that part of the lock very strong. Replace at least one, if not two, of the hinge screws on each hinge also. On the door itself, replace the short screws with longer screws, about 1 1/2 to 2 inches, depending on door type.

CAUTION: Don't overtighten, you can take the frame out of plumb. Use a level when doing this to make sure the door frame stays plumb.

On my front door, if they had kicked a few more times, maybe the door itself would have failed. The door was cracked, but held. As it was, they moved to the back door and kicked until the door itself, not the locks, failed.

The alarm did scare them off. No one entered the house, nothing taken. Except a $1200 insurance claim to replace the doors and locks.

Newer doors going in today - never knew it took so long. Alarm system upgrade is this week also.

This woman's doors are solid and may have saved her life:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxUxpnXGJ7M

You can see the criminal's kicking the door by using full body force, but the door did not give out. Also, notice her layered security, including strong doors, security cameras, guns, etc.

The price tag on the gun is a sure sign of her spending lots of time at the range training on its safe use as well.

Lessons include:
Outward opening doors are harder to break through than inward opening doors.

Wood stops, door frames and rough framing often fail by splitting.

Wood faced, hollow core doors are weak.

Locks with strong mechanisms and long bolts, or rim locks that cannot be pulled away from the strike plate or frame.

Corrections:
Switch/modify doors so they will open out.

Fasten hinges and locks into thicker wood, plywood (which is very resistant to splitting, or aluminum plates which can be machined like hardwood). If the space between door frame and rough opening allows for adding 1/4" aluminum plates (3-1/2" and as tall as the rough opening)the retro-fit is pretty easy. If not you need to plane down the rough opening to allow room for the plates. Plates should be screwed to rough framing with 3" deck screws in a zig-zag pattern at about 4" OC.

Once installed the aluminum plates are drilled to accept the screws from the hinges, stops, deadbolt/s, and door frame. All of which are installed with 3" screws.

Stops on both sides of the door frame can be greatly reinforced if the wood ones are replaced with a rectangular aluminum extrusion that is fastened at tight intervals with long screws that pass through the stop, door frame, aluminum reinforcement plate and on into the rough framing.

Replace thin or hollow core doors with solid wood or steel doors. Hollow core doors can be faced with sheet steel. The location where locks/s are can be reinforced with hardwood, plywood, sheet steel or aluminum plates. Ideally they are through-bolted with carriage bolts that pull against thick and wide reinforcement plates so they will not pull through.

If you want to do a grade-A job the rough opening can be greatly reinforced by installing 1/2" or better plywood both inside and out, replacing the drywall or plaster, for 4' or more around the door opening. The plywood should be nailed in a standard 4-6-12 pattern (be sure to stagger the 4" OC runs) but glued with a API-01 rated construction adhesive and screwed 12" OC is better still.

It is a lot of work but you end up with a door that is going to take lot of time to get through. Also one that is highly resistant to wind. Just make sure you can still get out.

No offense intended, but I've been installing security systems for several years now, and that information isn't terribly accurate. Granted not all thieves (the majority) are willing to spend the time and effort to break into a house (those who are looking for quick easy money), but there are certainly a great many who can and will break down most doors, regardless of the locks (those who do this on a regular basis).

The biggest mistake you can make is think a thief is lazy, and will move on after a couple of minutes. Maybe your right and you'll be lucky. But I'll bet you would be amazed at how clever someone can be to avoid having to do an honest days work.

I think that if a thief takes that extra couple minutes on the home of an ETS'er, and the occupant is home, it's probably gonna cost that thief dearly! Again, I'm just going by some crime stats I read, not sure if they're accurate. I'll defer to your experience in that area. One thing I will say is that every minute you cost the guy makes it that much more likely that s/he'll be discovered or interrupted during the B&E attempt. And really, that's all that locks or security systems can do. My dad did construction for 45 years, owned his own small company. I worked for him as a kid, and I can tell you there ain't much you can't get thru with the right tools. What will stand up to a sawz-all, chain saw or splitting maul? In an extreme case someone can run a vehicle thru your wall. All you can do is harden the target as much as you can.

The 5.56 rifle is a sensible choice, if you're at home to use. And if you're prepared to face all the ramifications taking that step...not a trifling matter, to be sure.

my room has one door, my bed is directly diagonal from my door. I have it there becaise it is farthest from he door and right next to the dresser (cover). I have a .380 in its holster stapled to my bed and i can unbuckle, de-safety it, cock it, and take cover in under 5 seconds. I need a better gun but for now, that works!

Nice pdf on doors Art. (saved)

Now, just how strong is the glass in the windows around your doors?