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Five Landscaping Tips to Help Prevent Break-ins
Burglars don’t just choose random homes to break into. They target homes that are easiest to get in, take what they want, and get out.
So, what makes a home an attractive target?
Obviously, the absence of a home security system makes a home the most appealing to any thief. However, these criminals also look for any landscaping features that will allow them to move around unnoticed. This includes homes that are hidden from neighbors and the street, have an uncut lawn, high fences or overgrown vegetation.
So, in addition to investing in a high-quality burglar alarm, like on www.homessecurity.com/, you should also think about doing some security landscaping to further deter thieves from attempting to penetrate your castle walls. Here are three ways you can help bolster your landscape security:
Landscape Lighting
A potential burglar is going to want to remain unseen. By installing motion sensing floodlights around your home you will catch a would be thief off guard as they are suddenly illuminated and they are forced to wonder if they have been seen. This alone will make your home very unattractive to those with ill intents. If you have potential low light problem areas around your home you can also add in-ground landscape lights to these areas.
Trim tall hedges
If you have tall hedges surrounding your property, burglars may be able to use them to conceal themselves as they sneak around your property. To prevent this from happening, trim them down so you’re able to not only see anyone who is walking by your home from a door or window, but your neighbors as well. Sometimes it’s better to sacrifice a little bit of privacy for a lot of peace of mind.
Invest in noise-making gravel
If a burglar is unable to enter your home through a door, they will likely attempt to get in through the next best entryway – the window. That’s why it’s a good idea to install pea gravel – which makes a crunching sound when you walk on it – around your windows. This will not only help alert you when someone is moving around outside your house, but also deter burglars who want to move around unnoticed.
Utilize thorny vegetation
When you have “hostile” vegetation – bushes and shrubs that have thorns, spikes or anything that may be a challenge to circumvent – your home will be much less attractive to an intruder looking to make a quick in and out. The best thorny shrubs are Pyracantha and Barberry shrubs, which can grow up to 15 feet high and be trimmed into a thick, dense hedge. These evergreen shrubs are ideal to use around the perimeter of your home and under windows.
Talk To Your Neighbors
If you are planning on going away for a few days have a neighbor or friend pick up your mail and newspapers. One of the most identifiable signs of an empty house are two or three newspapers piled in the driveway. Besides this it can be very helpful to mention to neighbors that you will be gone for a few days and if they see anyone at all on your property to call the police. Of course if you are planning to have someone watch over your home you should describe that person and their vehicle to the neighbors to prevent false alarms.
Remember, burglaries are crimes of opportunity. By making it harder for intruders to move around inconspicuously, you will make your humble abode a less attractive target for burglary. There are few things that will make you feel as violated as a stranger rummaging through and potentially taking your precious belongings. Use these steps to make that much less likely.
This guest post was written by www.homesecurity.com, your source for alarms for your home or business.
