Newspapers, mail, an overgrown lawn, and announcements of your absence on answering machines all spell trouble. Typical grifts include free tickets, rsvp invitations. In smaller towns gypos target graduations and other local events, often by obtaining high school year books, directories, etc. Criminality always chooses the weak, because it is weak itself, but there is truly no protection from the serious intruder. Doors that are less 44mm thick, hollow or that contain large sections of glass are easily kicked in.
Hinges are often on the outside of doors and can be unscrewed .
A stout knife put between door and door jamb will pop open many doors. Sliding glass doors are the easiest target and often are mindlessly left unlocked. Security doors can be over come by a variety of tactics. It weighs 15 pounds and will open any door in seconds. However these tactics are those of the rank amateur.