How Fast Can a Burglar Break in to Your Garage?

A video that shows a burglar only needs a wire hanger and six seconds to break in to a garage has received nearly 1.5 million views on YouTube.

Maybe that's because garage door burglaries are on the rise in parts of the country, according to a variety of reports we found.

So it's a good idea to button up when it comes to your attached garage. It's the fourth most-common entry point for residential break-ins.

What can you do? A few DIYs can secure your garage:

Use a 1-by-4-inch piece of wood above your garage door to block a wire hanger. Fast forward to 3:31 in this video to see how:

Get alerts from a smartphone garage door controller when your door is opened:

• Install a home security system.
• Don't leave your garage remote in plain view in your car.
• Always lock the entry door between the garage and your house.
• Lock any other doors or windows to your garage.
• Frost the glass on or add window film to your garage windows so no one can see in.
• Check with your garage door retailer to see what safety or security features are available for your model.

Tip:

To thwart the hanger method shown in the 6-second break-in video, many news reports recommended securing the emergency release on your automatic garage door with a zip tie. Underwriters Laboratories and others in the garage door industry say that's a code no-no: The emergency release must always be operable in case the door were to trap someone.

Deirdre Sullivan is an NYC-based writer who's obsessed with maximizing every inch of her urban dwelling. She's a former fashionista who has worked for Lucky Magazine and InStyle. SHe recently traded her high heels and Fashion Week pass for a drill and bandsaw.