Do you lock your door when you are at home?

United States
February 4, 2008 12:15pm CST
I just read an interesting statistic. According to the article I was reading, over 60 percent of people do not lock their door if they are at home. These people only lock their door when they leave their home. As for me, I keep mine locked at all times, whether I am home or not! An armed burgler doesn't care if you are at home or not! What about you?
30 people like this
69 responses
@Sissygrl (10912)
• Canada
4 Feb 08
My door is always locked, if i'm home or not. But a lot of people in some parts of canada never lock their doors even when they go out! lol i was in PEI with my dad when i was little and his friend told us to just go in and make ourselves at home. lol. Not a locked door or window on the island i bet!
3 people like this
@patgalca (18162)
• Orangeville, Ontario
5 Feb 08
My husband's family is from PEI and they never lock their doors as far as I know. Now in the very small village they live in, not only does everyone KNOW each other, most of them are all related in some way or another. You can certainly enter a house and make yourself at home if no one is there. And you know what? They don't care. They welcome you with open arms. Different culture.
3 people like this
@Sissygrl (10912)
• Canada
5 Feb 08
i dunnoo if its culture, i think its just.. canadian.. ;) the problem is a lot of canada is getting americanized!
1 person likes this
• United States
4 Feb 08
i definitely keep my door locked all the time whether i'm home or not. in fact, if someone was bound to break in, i'd much prefer they do it when i'm not home then when i am. my personal safety is far more important to me than any of my possessions.
3 people like this
@shakeroo (3986)
• Malaysia
4 Feb 08
I always make sure that my doors are locked even when I am inside the house since i do not want somebody to just walk into the house easily. You just can't trust anyone these days.
3 people like this
• United States
4 Feb 08
I didn't used to. But 5 years ago, I was assaulted by a stranger in my own home. Now every door is locked at all times. You really cannot be too careful.
3 people like this
@joyangz32 (322)
• Netherlands
4 Feb 08
We lock the door at home whether we're inside or not. You'll never know when someone bad come inside. It's better to prepare than to regret later. Only one window a little bit open for fresh air to come inside.
3 people like this
@jhl930 (3601)
• United States
4 Feb 08
I think that I have to agree with you on the fact that a burgular doesnt really care if you are at home or not...I am like you I keep my doors locked all of the time because I don't know about the rest of you but there have been break ins before in my community and in my opinion the world has changed because people today are alot more meaner than they use to be...I figure that if the lock wont keep them out it will give me time to get ready for them to come in the house which is also a good thing because it will take them a few mins.
3 people like this
@max1950 (2306)
• United States
5 Feb 08
only when i go to sleep at night.i moved away from those area'a year's ago,i'm sort of out in the boonies of west coast florida and never lock it any other time.i don't think i'd ever move back to that situation.
2 people like this
• United States
5 Feb 08
I used to lock the doors all the time, and then I got married and moved to the country with my husband. We are taking care of his father there too and he feels safe enough, living in the country, to hardly ever lock the door. Even when we're all gone, he doesn't lock the doors sometimes.
@bunmi2501 (465)
• Nigeria
5 Feb 08
Well, if you get used to that in my area, you'll have yourself to blame. If you stay in a volatile environment you need to be more security concious. Before anyone comes in to my house you have to notify me through the door bell, cos you can never find the entrance door open. It is quite unsafe to do that around where I live.
@irishmist (3816)
• United States
5 Feb 08
Yes I keep my doors locked when I'm home. Right now in our area there have been 2 home invasions within one week, but the police think they have been targeted homes.
2 people like this
• United States
5 Feb 08
my door is always locked most of the time I am home alone with to small children, I know I live close to my family but i still not taking any chances, during the day when its nice I will open my doors for alittle while but never to long.
2 people like this
@madasp (563)
• United States
5 Feb 08
We rarely lock our doors. We have windows in all of the doors into the house so I figure if they want in they'll get in. They would have to be pretty stupid to want in though because we have three pretty large dogs who absolutly hate strangers. whenever anyone they don't know even walks by our house they are all in the doors and windows making a lot of noise!
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (156833)
• United States
5 Feb 08
I have read somewhere that the best defense against a home intrusion is a barking dog, even if it is on tape.
2 people like this
• United States
5 Feb 08
I rarely lock my doors. Except at night when I am asleep and thats only because my son always does it. But I grew up in a small town and have a small town mentality about it. I dont worry about it I guess. some would say its foolish but if someone wants in a door lock won't stop them. I am not really a worrier. I have lived here all my life and just feel like this is my home town and I am safe.
2 people like this
• India
5 Feb 08
This statistic is absolutely right. Most of the peaople did not lock when they are at home. I am not one of them. I belive in security.
2 people like this
@gbolly54 (661)
• Nigeria
5 Feb 08
"Be prepared", says the motto of the Boys Scout organization. While safety conditions vary from place to place around the world, I still believe that one should be prepared always. Leaving one's door open is being not prepared. The extra time afforded one to think of an escape route would not be there if the door is left open and an attacker comes calling. Where the compound is securely fenced round and the gate is strong and locked, and is occupied by the same family, the need to lock the doors in the main house is less compelling. However, there are never pluses without minuses. Care should also be taken to ensure that the keys are always left where they can be easily found and used in case of an emergency from within, such as fire or a sudden, life-threatening health catastrophe. As for me, I make sure that the gate to my compound is locked at all times, but the entrance doors to the house and the individual room doors are left open during the day when we are at home. At night, all the doors are securely locked when we are going to bed.
@jeanbug23 (992)
• Philippines
5 Feb 08
I am so cautious and leave things in order. Locking the doors whenever I am inside the house became a habit to me since I was a child. We have experienced being robbed at home even if there are nannies around and they would tie their hands or even hurt them. Nowadays, there are still more danger because of the poor economy in our country that leads robbery.
2 people like this
@lexus54 (3572)
• Singapore
5 Feb 08
I always lock my door when I am at home, unless a family member is just outside the home doing something like cleaning the place or gardening. When you are indoor, and the door and closed, you may not be able to see who is lurking outside your home and what he/she is up to. If the person suddenly opens the door brandishing a weapon, it is too late to regret. When the front door is closed, a burglar, robber, kidnapper or killer who is outside wouldn't know if someone's home, and so will still attempt to break in to commit a crime. So it is always safer to have a closed door locked at all times if one does not want to give a would-be criminal easy entry.
2 people like this
• Philippines
5 Feb 08
i usually dont lock my doors when im at home.. instead, i lock the door of my own room.. im more comfortable knowing that even im just the only person left at home, im confident that no one can enter my room at a sudden phase..
2 people like this
• United States
5 Feb 08
Wow! I can't believe that many people don't lock up. I keep my doors locked at all times. DON"T want anyone coming in unless I let them in or they have a key. That is very scary.
2 people like this
• Australia
5 Feb 08
HI, I live in Austraila and I only lock my door when i leave home or at night. I live in a unit and there's always guards nearby. So I don't really care about burgler.
2 people like this