Yard Security

Good home security is more than burglar alarms, security cameras and good locks. It is a whole chain of measures that you take to harden up your home.

Everything that you do to make your home unattractive to burglars reduces the chances they will choose your property as a target.

Paying attention to the security of the perimeter of your home is one measure you can't afford to skip.

Lawn care and general gardening care is important. An uncared for lawn can give the impression that the owners are away, perhaps on vacation.

You may think that a burglar seeing a home with an uncut lawn and generally untidy yard, would conclude that there is not much worth stealing at that address. Wrong. The thief is more likely to think the owner does not pay too much attention to the security of the home.

A big part of yard security is mowing your lawn regularly and making your home look cared for and loved.

When you do leave on vacation arrange for a trusted neighbor to keep your lawn cut and your yard tidy. (There is a lot more your neighbor can do while you are away- Burglary Prevention. )

Large bushes and trees can be a big plus in the eyes of a burglar. Large bushes provide cover and that's what the burglar wants.

To some of us large shrubs and tall hedges are things of beauty, but when they obscure any clear vision to your home they become a security no-no.

A nicely landscaped garden, but for good yard security those bushes by the house need to be trimmed down.

The view of your house, from both the front and rear should be unobstructed. Burglars do not like to be observed.

The more chance there is of him being seen the more chance there is that he will leave your home alone.

Trim down any large bushes in front of your home to a hight of no more than three feet. Consider removing obscuring trees and in any case, saw off branches that are below eight feet from trees near your house. Don't give the burglar an easy climb to upper windows.

Thorny plants can be your friend. Consider planting thorny rose bushes and other prickly plants underneath your windows. They should not of course, be allowed to grow too high, but rather planted wide enough to discourage a thief from working on your windows.

Sure, a prowler can wear thick clothing to give him some protection. But most will not be prepared. Given a choice, a burglar would rather not get himself scratched and tangled in a rose bush. He would sooner look for a softer target. Planting thorny bushes in the right places is a small yard security measure, but many small measures mean that your home is not an attractive target to criminals.

In relation to an unobstructed view of your home, think about your yard fencing.

Are fences and walls good for yard security?

“Sure walls are good”, you may answer, “they stop people just walking right on to your property right?” Yes, a wall, fence or hedge does provide a barrier, even if only a psychological one. . . but walls can be climbed.

Again you may answer . . .”So the higher the wall, the harder it is to climb, the better the security it provides.” Not necessarily, if a thief does manage to get over a high,solid fence, he is shielded by that very fence. He can work unseen.

Much better, is a fence that can be seen through, such as a picket fence. It still provides that barrier but also gives passers by and your neighbors, a chance to spot someone attempting to break into your house.

You don't want to leave a ladder laying around in your yard waiting for a burglar to make use of it.

Consider planting thorny rose bushes and other prickly plants underneath your windows.

If you can't store your ladder in a locked shed or garage, then securely chain and lock it to something solid.

But what about those gardening tools? Spades, forks, rakes etc, can all be used to gain unlawful access to your home.

Don't take chances, lock away after each use anything that could be used by a criminal. Don't do it later - you'll forget, do it right away.

Will a yard security sign put a burglar off targeting your home? It just might if it looks authentic.

Not the most robust of home security measures, but home security stickers or signs may put off the inexperienced opportunity burglar. Best used of course, when you do actually have a security system guarding your home.

It is a fact that most home burglaries are committed during daylight hours. Burglars choose the times that you are not likely to be at home.

However, nighttime break-ins still happen, especially if the burglar thinks you are out for the evening. A dark yard is inviting to a criminal, he can creep across it without much chance of being spotted. Yard security lighting is pretty much a necessity, but lighting that is on all the time can be hard to live with. Consider motion activated lighting for your yard.

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