Burglars are not creative. They use the same five entry points on Phoenix homes that they use everywhere else. Knowing the order — and what makes each one easy — is the first step in shutting them down.
PHOENIX BREAK-IN FAQ
How Do Burglars Enter Phoenix Homes? (Top 5 Entry Points)
The five points burglars use to get in — ranked by frequency, with how to harden each one.
SHORT ANSWER
Burglars enter Phoenix homes through five main points: the front door (about 34% of break-ins), first-floor windows (about 23%), the back door including sliding patio doors (about 22%), the garage (about 9%), and other points like basements or upper-floor windows (about 12%). Sliding glass doors are the single most-targeted door on a typical Phoenix home.
34%
Of break-ins enter through the front door
23%
Through first-floor windows
22%
Through the back door — including sliders
The 5 Entry Points, In Order
1. Front door (~34%). Most homeowners assume the front door is the safest. It isn’t. Many front doors have hollow-core construction, single-point deadbolts, and door frames that can be defeated with a single hard kick. Burglars walk up the front walk in broad daylight — from the curb it looks like a delivery.
2. First-floor windows (~23%). Especially side and back-yard windows that face the alley, parking pad, or another house’s wall. Standard window latches are not designed to resist forced entry. Single-pane glass shatters quickly and quietly.
3. Back door / sliding patio door (~22%). Sliders are the highest-leverage single-door target on most Phoenix homes — large glass surface, single-point latches that lift out of their tracks, and located behind a fence where someone can work undisturbed.
4. Garage and garage-to-house door (~9%). Detached garages with weak service-door locks, attached garages with weak interior doors, and garage door openers stored in unlocked vehicles are all common entry vectors.
5. Other (~12%). Upper-floor windows reached via patio covers or trash bins, basement windows, dog doors, second-story balconies. Less common but worth checking.
Why Sliding Glass Doors Top the Single-Door List
Even though sliders are part of the “back door” category in aggregate stats, they are usually the most-targeted single door on a Phoenix home. Reasons:
- Large glass surface — visibility into the home for casing and an easy break-and-reach option
- Single-point latch that can be popped with a screwdriver in seconds
- Lift-out vulnerability — many sliders can be physically lifted off their tracks from outside
- Behind a fence, away from street view — burglars can work uninterrupted
- Often left unlocked for airflow on Phoenix evenings
For most Phoenix homes, hardening the slider has more impact on burglary risk per dollar spent than any other single upgrade.
How to Harden Each Entry Point
Front door: Solid-core door, longer screws on the strike plate, security screen door over the top.
First-floor windows: Stainless steel security screens — they let in light and air while defeating both the smash-and-reach attack and the climb-through.
Back door / sliding glass door: Security screen slider with multi-point lock and anti-lift hardware. The single highest-impact upgrade on most Phoenix homes.
Garage: Reinforce the service-door lock, lock the garage-to-house door like an exterior door, never leave openers in unlocked vehicles.
Other points: Trim landscape ladders, keep upper-floor windows latched, check dog doors and basement access annually.
💡 Front Door + Slider = 56% of Break-Ins
If your budget is limited, harden the front door and the sliding patio door first. Together they account for over half of all residential break-ins. After those two, ground-floor windows facing alleys or side yards are the next priority.
Related Phoenix Break-In Questions
Harden the Doors and Windows Burglars Actually Use
Paramount Security Screens build custom stainless-steel security screens for the entry points that matter — front doors, sliding patio doors, and ground-floor windows — across the Phoenix metro.
Call us: (602) 214-7005 | Licensed & Insured | ROC #353818
