How Burglars Beat Cheap Locks in NYC (and the Upgrades That Stop Them)

Most break-ins don’t involve sophisticated tools — they exploit cheap hardware. Know the four common methods and the fix for each.

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Here’s the uncomfortable truth: most break-ins aren’t the work of master criminals with lock picks. They exploit cheap hardware and lazy installation — and they’re fast. Understanding the four common methods makes the fixes obvious. None of them are expensive.

1. The Kick-In (the most common)

The number-one residential attack isn’t subtle: a hard kick near the lock. It doesn’t break the deadbolt — it splits the door frame where the strike plate sits, because most strike plates are held by tiny ¾-inch screws into thin trim. The deadbolt stays locked; the wood around it gives way.

The fix (a few dollars): Replace the short strike-plate screws with 3-inch screws that reach the wall stud, and install a heavy-duty strike plate or a door-reinforcement kit. This is the single highest-value security upgrade you can make, and it stops the most common attack cold.

2. Lock Bumping

A “bump key” is a key cut to fit a lock’s keyway with all valleys at maximum depth. A light tap while turning briefly bounces the pins above the shear line, and the lock opens — in seconds, with almost no skill. Standard builder-grade pin-tumbler locks are vulnerable.

The fix: An anti-bump or high-security cylinder — Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, or Abloy — uses sidebars, rotating pins, or other mechanisms that a bump key can’t defeat. As a bonus, their keys can’t be copied at a hardware store.

3. Picking and Raking

Less common than TV suggests, but real for low-grade locks: manipulating the pins with picks. Cheap locks have loose tolerances that make them quick to rake open. The same high-security cylinders that stop bumping also resist picking, thanks to security pins and tighter machining.

4. Lock Snapping (on euro-style cylinders)

On certain cylinder locks, attackers snap the cylinder in two with pressure and pull out the broken half to access the mechanism. It’s more of a concern on some side and back doors with euro profile cylinders. Anti-snap cylinders are built with sacrificial sections that protect the core.

The Priorities, in Order

Reinforce the strike plate

3-inch screws + heavy strike. Cheapest, stops the most common attack.
Upgrade your main-door cylinder

High-security (Medeco/Mul-T-Lock) on your primary entry defeats bumping, picking, and key copying.
Match the lock to the door

A great lock on a hollow door is theater. Solid-core or metal doors hold up; hollow ones don’t.
Don’t forget secondary doors

Back, side, and garage doors are favored precisely because people ignore them.

Want to know where your home is weakest? We do honest security assessments across NYC and Long Island — call 347-797-1671 and we’ll tell you what actually needs upgrading, not what’s most expensive.

Not Sure If Your Locks Hold Up?

We’ll assess your doors and recommend the right upgrade — no upsell, just what actually stops the common attacks.

Call 347-797-1671

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the most common way burglars get through a door?

Brute force — a hard kick that splits the door frame around the strike plate — is the most common method on residential doors. It defeats even a good deadbolt if the strike plate is held by short screws into thin trim. A reinforced strike with 3-inch screws is the cheapest effective fix.

What is lock bumping and can it be prevented?

Lock bumping uses a specially cut ‘bump key’ and a tap to momentarily jump the pins and open a standard pin-tumbler lock in seconds. Anti-bump and high-security cylinders (Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, Abloy) are specifically designed to defeat it.

Are expensive locks actually worth it?

For ground-floor apartments, homes in higher-risk areas, and any door that’s your main entry, yes. A high-security cylinder resists picking, bumping, and key duplication. For upper-floor or secondary doors, a solid Grade 1 deadbolt plus a reinforced strike is often enough.

What is the single cheapest security upgrade?

Replacing the short screws in your strike plate with 3-inch screws that bite into the wall stud. It costs a few dollars and dramatically increases resistance to kick-ins — the most common attack.

Can a locksmith tell me where my home is weak?

Yes. We do security assessments across NYC and Long Island — checking lock grade, strike plates, door material, and entry points — and recommend targeted upgrades. Call 347-797-1671.