Burglary is defined as the unlawful entry of a structure to commit a felony or theft. To classify an offense as a burglary, the use of force to gain entry need not have occurred. The UCR Program has three sub-classifications for burglary: forcible entry, unlawful entry where no force is used, and attempted forcible entry. The UCR definition of “structure” includes apartment, barn, house trailer or houseboat when used as a permanent dwelling, office, railroad car (but not automobile), stable, and vessel (i.e., ship).
In 2017, there were just over 36,000 burglaries in Arizona. These accounted for about 15% of all reported crimes that year. Of those 36K burglaries, almost 70% were residential, and most occurred during the daytime (between 6AM and 6PM). A little over half of these burglaries were classified as forcible entry!
Here is something that your average resident does not know...
the most common use of gaining entry to a home is with a small tool called a "bump key".
What are Bump Keys?
Bump keys are specially cut keys that can bypass the security mechanisms built into traditional pin and tumbler locks (the most common locks used on deadbolts). These keys are relatively easy to produce and not at all difficult to acquire. The bump key is cut in such a way that it will not properly align with the pins/tumblers of the lock, but instead, it will disrupt the pins when hit with a small amount of force (lock bumping).
The practice of lock bumping has been in use by professional locksmiths for several decades. Thanks to the internet anyone with a connection can learn how to make a bump key and use it!
So how can you protect your home against lock bumping?
1. Clear Visibility. Keep the landscaping around your home as clean as possible. Maintained yards mean maintained homes (usually), and this is just one level of deterrent.
2. Neighborhood Watch. Be alert and aware of your surroundings. Get to know your neighbors and stay involved with your community.
3. Security Cameras.
4. Anti-lock bumping devices. More budget-friendly than replacing all of your locks with keyless entry pads, thumb turn guards are designed to prevent the thumb turn part of a deadbolt from turning. For a few dollars more, you can invest in a commercial grade lock for the front door. There is also a travel version called the Super Grip Lock.
5. Install high-security locks. These locks are designed to be bump and pick resistant. They are made a heavier metal, use thicker screws, and the keys are high security, meaning that they can only be duplicated by authorized manufacturers.
6. Keyless deadbolts. These locks are only useful if you make sure to get a bump-proof model without tumblers.
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