© 2003 Door & Access Systems
Publish Date: Winter 2003
Author: Tom Wadsworth
Page 68

CLIPPINGS
Garage Doors and Openers in the Media

Abduction of Senator’s Wife Linked to Open Garage Door

Source: The Washington Times, 10/09/2003
Article: Gregg Kidnap Figures Caught
Author: Arlo Wagner

An open garage door led to the high-profile abduction of Kathleen Gregg, the wife of Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire. The event dominated the news media in October.

Two men apparently followed Mrs. Gregg to her McLean, Va., home. When she pulled into the garage, she left her garage door open and went indoors. The men entered the house through the garage, threw down Mrs. Gregg, and tied her up face-down on the floor.

After the men stole several valuables, she persuaded them take her to the bank. She withdrew $5,000, gave it to the robber, then ran into a hallway, locked herself in a restroom, and called police.

The men were eventually arrested and the stolen items recovered. The men are also suspects in four other similar robberies.

Editor’s Note: Stories like this ably demonstrate the need for security features on garage doors and openers.

Repair Delay Results in Near Disaster

Source: The Oregonian (Portland, Ore.), 10/07/2003
Article: Back Fence: Word to the Wise
Author: Ginger M.

A reader of The Oregonian writes to tell of her daughter’s birthday party that nearly turned to tragedy.

Before the party, her garage door needed service, but she delayed calling her door dealer. To open the door, she says, “We had to push the garage door button and pull up on the garage door at the same time.”

For the party, a piñata was hung in the garage near the opener. When a guest swung at the piñata, the bat caught the emergency cord, and “the garage door fell instantly like a ton of bricks.”

Luckily, none of the 12 little girls was directly under the door. She warns readers, “If your garage door has the hiccups, don’t go anywhere near it.”

Editor’s Note: A better idea is to call for service sooner!

Garage Door: The New Front Door

Source: Chicago Tribune and Denver Post, 09/19/2003
Article: There’s a Lot More to Garages than Car Storage
Author: Kristi Arellano

“It seems that people are living in big garages with little homes attached,” says reporter Arellano. He asked a Colorado homeowner why he paid $10,000 for a garage makeover.

“It’s the main point of entry for the house,” the homeowner replies. “Coming in through a dirty, dingy garage is depressing. With my garage, it’s a completely different feeling.”

Citing U.S. Census Bureau statistics, the story says an estimated 1.3 million garages were converted into some type of living space in 1998.

Editor’s Note: If the garage door is now the front door of the house, why shouldn’t people pay as much for a garage door as they pay for an entry door?

1 Remote Control = 2 Mercedes

Source: KTXL-TV Sacramento, Calif., 10/15/2003
Article: Police Search for Car Robbery Suspect
Author: Melissa Remick

Sacramento Kings’ Bobby Jackson found out what can happen when his garage door’s remote control falls into the wrong hands.

In October, Jackson woke up to find his two Mercedes gone from his garage. The thieves apparently broke into his car parked outside, retrieved the garage door remote control, and then gained access to the two expensive autos.

That same day, the OnStar tracking device inside Jackson’s cars led authorities to the thieves, who had already started stripping the vehicles.

Editor’s Note: Remind your customers that a remote control in an outside car is a key to the garage and possibly to the house.

Garage Door as Movie Screen?

Source: Raleigh News Observer (Tribune Media Services), 08/28/2003
Article: Technology Brings Back Outdoor Movie-Viewing Experience
Author: Larry Magid

You never know how someone might use a garage door.

In this editorial, Magid tells of hosting a neighborhood “outdoor movie night” at his home on a warm August night. He set up a DVD player and a video projector and hung a sheet on his garage door.

After dark, neighbors sat in his driveway as Majid started “Singin’ in the Rain” on DVD. Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor, and Debbie Reynolds were soon dancing on his garage door.

Majid said he checked with Warner Brothers’ legal department to confirm that his free exhibition was legal, as long as “the guests are not outside your family or your normal circle of acquaintances.”