Garage Security: The Overlooked Entry Point Burglars Love

Your front door is secured. Your windows are locked. But what about your garage?

For many homeowners, the garage is a weak point they’ve never truly considered. It’s filled with valuable tools, provides concealed workspace for intruders, and often connects directly to the house. While you may have secured your windows and front door, the garage requires equal attention.

Why Garages Are Targeted

The Double Value

Garages offer burglars two things:

Access:

• Many have internal doors to the house
• These internal doors often have minimal security
• Once in the garage, the burglar is concealed while working on the next entry

Contents:

• Power tools with resale value
• Bicycles (easily transported)
• Sports equipment
• Gardening machinery
• Often the homeowner’s car

The Weak Point Pattern

Typical garage security gaps:

• Standard up-and-over doors with basic locks
• Automatic doors with no backup security
• Side doors with minimal locks
• Internal doors treated as interior, not entry points
• Tools left on display or easily accessible

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Your garage might be more valuable to a burglar than your living room. It contains both the tools to break in and the goods to steal.

Garage Door Security

Up-and-Over Doors

The most common UK garage door type. Vulnerabilities:

• Standard handle lock is easily defeated
• Can often be forced from the bottom
• Over time, mechanisms wear and weaken

Upgrades:

• Defender garage door lock (ground-mounted bar)
• Hasp and padlock addition
• Internal locking bars
• Regular mechanism maintenance

Roller Doors

Generally more secure than up-and-over:

• Harder to force
• Often have better built-in locking
• Can still be attacked at the bottom

Upgrades:

• Ensure motor has anti-lift protection
• Add padlock backup if possible
• Check bottom seal isn’t climbable-under

Sectional Doors

Similar considerations to roller doors:

• Quality varies by manufacturer
• Auto-lock features important
• Motor security matters

Side-Hinged Doors

Full door security applies:

• Multi-point locking
• Quality hinges
• Solid construction
• Proper frame anchoring

Automatic Openers

Convenience vs security considerations:

• Remote cloning is possible with older systems
• Rolling code technology is more secure
• Always verify motor has manual lock override
• Power failure = potential security gap

The Internal Door Problem

The Critical Transition

The door between your garage and house is often:

• A cheap internal-quality door
• Fitted with a basic lock
• Treated as “inside the home” for security purposes

This is a major vulnerability. Once in your garage, this door is the final barrier.

Treating It as External

This door should have:

• Solid core construction
• Dead locking mechanism
• Quality lock (BS3621 or TS007 cylinder) - learn about lock snapping to understand why this matters
• Reinforced frame
• Self-closing mechanism

Why People Get This Wrong

When the house was built:

• The garage felt “part of the home”
• Building regulations focused on fire protection, not burglary
• Cost-cutting led to basic doors
• Nobody thought about the attack sequence

Securing Garage Contents

The Tool Problem

Your garage likely contains:

• Screwdrivers
• Crowbars or pry bars
• Hammers
• Bolt cutters (possibly)
• Ladders

These are burglar tools. Left accessible, they’re used against you.

Solutions:

• Locked tool cabinets
• Secured tool storage
• Remove or chain ladders
• Don’t leave tools visible from windows

High-Value Items

Bicycles, motorcycles, and power equipment need:

• Ground anchors (secured to concrete floor)
• Quality chains and locks
• Ideally, out of view from windows
• Registration with police property databases

Vehicle Security

If you park in the garage:

• Lock the car even inside the garage
• Don’t leave keys in the vehicle
• Consider steering locks for high-value cars
• Keys should be secured inside the house

Environmental Security

Lighting

• Motion-activated lights outside
• Interior lighting on timer (occupied look)
• No dark approaches for concealment

Visibility

• Windows allow surveillance but also reveal contents
• Frosted glass or blinds prevent assessment
• Camera coverage if possible

Access Control

• Keep remotes secure (not in unlocked cars)
• Change codes after moving in
• Don’t leave clicker in view in parked cars

These measures become especially important when preparing your home for holiday.

Specific Garage Types

Attached Garages

Higher risk because:

• Direct access to house
• Often connected utilities
• Failure here = immediate home access

Priority: internal door security.

Detached Garages

Different considerations:

• Less direct home risk
• But contents still valuable
• May be target for tool theft
• Less monitored than attached

Priority: garage door and content security.

Shared/Block Garages

In blocks or communal areas:

• Access often granted to unknown people
• Higher theft risk from opportunists
• Limited control over surroundings

Priority: individual unit security, contents considered at higher risk.

The Garage Security Assessment

Walk through your garage with these questions:

Doors

• Main garage door has secondary locking
• Automatic opener has backup security
• Side doors have quality locks
• Internal door treated as external entry point

Contents

• Tools locked away or secured
• Valuable items anchored or chained
• Nothing of high value visible from outside
• Ladders secured (not available to climbing attackers)

Environment

• Motion lighting on approaches
• Windows obscured or secured
• Remote controls secured
• No keys left in vehicles

Take Action

Tonight, walk into your garage and look at it through a burglar’s eyes:

1. How easy is that main door to breach?
2. What tools would help me break into the house?
3. What valuables could I carry out quickly?
4. How long could I work in here unseen?

The answers will tell you what needs to change.