Here is a very simple, and cheap home security improvement that anyone can do in just a few minutes.
The plates in your door right now probably have 3/4″ or 1″ screws holding them in place. All this accomplishes is holding the plate in place. If you remove those screws and replace them with longer screws, it will add a little more resistance should an intruder even try to kick your door in.
Using 2″ or 2 1/2″ screws will secure the, plate in place as well as go through the door frame and into the stud next to the frame. This will make your door more sound.
Now, I am not suggesting this will stop an intruder, because it won’t. However, with 2 screws through the door knob plate, and 2 more through the dead bolt plate, it just may add enough resistance to force an intruder to fail to breach your door on the first try, or cause them to loose their balance due to the additional force. This could buy you some precious time. Enough time to get your wits about you, or give you a jump on preparing to defend your home and family.
There is no guarantee that any of this will help. However, there is a chance it will slow an intruder down just enough to change the outcome in you favor. For the few cents 4 screws cost, why not? Even if you think the odds of this helping are as low a 1%. Wouldn’t you buy that extra 1% for under a buck?