Garden Security - The Irish View

By Sergeant Ian O'callaghan, Crime Prevention Officer for Cork West Garda Division.
WHEN we think of crime prevention and how we can secure our homes we often forget to consider our gardens and everything in them.
Your garden contains valuable possessions that thieves can easily sell. Thieves can also use implements found in the garden to break into your home.
By taking some simple precautions you can reduce the risk of being burgled, increase the security of your home and garden, and make life more difficult for any would be intruders.
Your perimeter/boundary is your first line of defence. This includes your walls, fences, gates and hedges.
Walls fences and gates in the rear garden should be at least 1.8 metres (6 feet) high. It is often a good idea to fix a trellis to the top as it provides an extra barrier to negotiate and is also likely to break if climbed, creating noise and attracting attention regardless how energetic the thief is.
Suitable thorny/prickly climbers could be grown through the trellis as an extra deterrant.
Ensure that side gates or doors are robust and locked with good quality padlocks or deadlocks and that they cannot be lifted off their hinges. Regularly check for damage or weakness and repair as necessary.
The height of the gate/door should complement the height of the walls.
A barrier consisting of a dense prickly hedge running along your perimeter/boundary is well worth considering. Most would-be intruders will be deterred from seeking entry through this route. There are many plants suitable for such a role. The following list, that I have researched, is not exhaustive and is offered as a guide only - you should discuss with a horticultural expert at your garden centre or nursery. Holly, Berberis, Firethorn, Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Pernettya Climbing Rambling or Shrub Roses.
Sheds garages and outhouses should be kept closed and locked when not in use. They should all be kept in good condition — windows and doors are particularly vulnerable and prone to damage. You should consider the following - Fit metal grilles or strong mesh to the windows and a net curtain inside to prevent a person seeing in.
Doors should be secured with mortice deadbolts or good security quality closed shackled padlocks, as appropriate. If using a padlock ensure that the hasp and staple are fitted securely and bolted through the door with concealed screws/bolts eg. one-way screws.
Connect your shed to your home intruder alarm system, if you have one installed.
Machinery tools and implements are attractive to thieves for two reasons: (1) some are valuable and can easily be sold on and (2) some can assist in actually breaking into your home.
Don't leave ladders lying around the garden - secure them to a wall or other solid object.
Don't leave garden tools eg. spades, forks etc. lying around - they too can be used to break into your home.
Lock away in your garage or shed valuable machinery such as lawn mowers, shredders, power washers, bikes etc. It is also a good idea to further secure these items within the garage or shed eg. by individual chaining to the wall or by intertwined chaining of them all to each other etc.
Other tools eg. hammers, screwdrivers etc. should be kept in a secure lockable container within your garage/shed, preferably anchored to the wall/floor.
Consider property marking, in particular, valuable items such as lawnmowers and so on. As with property inside your home take photographs for record purposes and ease of identification.
Garden furniture and ornaments casn be expensive to buy. This makes them attractive to thieves.
Where possible secure furniture and ornaments to the ground or a solid wall etc .
Take photos and make notes of all scratches indentations and defects.
Landscaping and garden maintenance are important aspects of garden security. A neglected poorly maintained overgrown garden conveys a message that the owner may be absent or doesn't care whereas a well maintained and properly landscaped garden evokes a sense of territoriality and can enhance access control and surveillance opportunities.
If going away for a prolonged period ensure your grass is cut during your absence. Keep shrubs hedges and large plants pruned and cut back so as not to afford cover for thieves and also allow better surveillance by you and/or your neighbours.
Most gardens are dark at night allowing would-be thieves the opportunity to hide easily. Fit exterior lights that have sensors attached (either continuous dusk till dawn or those triggered by motion detectors).
Household insurance policies should be checked with your insurer to determine whether they cover theft and/or damage to garden machinery tools, other equipment and garden ornaments etc. You should also check if there are any minimum security standards required and if there are any particular restrictions applying.


(Reproduced from Corkman.ie   18th Aug 2011)

Gardien Tip:  Excellent advice which is obviously applicable wherever you live. The products you need to help prevent problems can be found at www.garden-security.co.uk