Bungling Burglars Foiled By Tough Glass

Posted 2nd October 2015 by Helen LeachIn most cases, the favoured point of entry for a burglar looking to break into a property would be through a window. Some windows have locks which are easy to pick or feature glass panes which can be completely removed if necessary. However, this takes valuable time, so a would-be burglar may simply attempt to break the glass to gain entry. This is more likely to happen if the criminal knows the property is currently unoccupied and the sound of the breaking glass will not be heard.

Pleasingly, there have been many recorded cases of bungling burglars who have been foiled in their attempts at criminal activity by the presence of toughened glass. In most cases, specially reinforced glass will not appear to be different from the standard variety, with the result that the burglar gets a nasty and unwelcome surprise in attempting to smash through it.

Here are some real-life examples from around the world of bungling burglars who have been scuppered by the secure presence of specially toughened glass.

The Foiled Jewellery Raid

Two hapless criminals in Honolulu, Hawaii, were confident of pulling off a successful robbery of a jewellery store. In order to gain access to the jewellery in the store display cases, the burglars came equipped with both a hammer and a gun. Footage from the store’s hidden surveillance camera showed the two men attempting to break the display case glass with the hammer. When that failed, they resorted to shooting the glass but still it failed to shatter. They eventually decided to flee the scene empty-handed.

Failed Hospital Burglary

A would-be burglar and his accomplice failed miserably in their attempt to break into a hospital In Walthamstow, London. In order to gain entry to the premises via an elevated window, the burglar first stood on his friend’s shoulders and then on a rubbish bin. However, because the window glass was toughened, the criminal was thwarted in his efforts and ended up falling off the bin and crashing to the floor. The two thieves fled the scene but not before they were caught on CCTV footage.

The Failure of Four Burglars

A house in the market town of Haverhill, Suffolk, was the scene of a failed burglary attempt by no less than four men. The gang were seen by witnesses entering the back garden of the property in broad daylight. CCTV footage then showed the men attempting to gain entry to the house itself via the French doors. A combination of toughened glass and other security measures saw the gang of four quickly abort their break-in plans and leave the scene empty handed.

The Glass that Refused to Break

A bungling burglar in Redding, California, was thwarted in his attempts to break into a convenience store by both toughened glass and his own stupidity. CCTV footage clearly shows the man’s face as he walks up to the window and peers inside. He then walks away before re-appearing seconds later with a balaclava over his face. Hurling a large rock at the glass only succeeds in cracking it slightly, the toughened glass refusing to shatter. After realising his burglary attempt is doomed to failure, the would-be thief turns to run, falls flat on his face and then proceeds to disappear into the night.

How Hammerglass Can Help Prevent Burglaries

Hammerglass is a durable, abrasion-resistant, polycarbonate sheet, 300 times stronger than glass – and virtually unbreakable. It replaces existing glass in window units and is scratch resistant, bullet and blast resistant*. When windows are continuously being broken or damaged, Hammerglass can provide a long-term, durable solution.

Find out more by visiting http://cardea-solutions.com/products/hammer-glass or speak to one of our window security experts on 0161 413 0766

*Based on non-scientific tests