Improve Boundary Security
Options For Boundary Security
Walls
Walls are strong and will usually stop at passing opportunist thief or burglar, because they want to be in and out quickly and easily and a wall or fence will slow them down. But they can be climbed over by the more determined intruder.
Fences
It is best to have high fences at the rear of the property to prevent the criminal getting in. If fences and gates make it difficult for him to get to the rear of the property he is less likely to target the premises.
Wooden fences are not as strong as a wall, and a determined criminal can quite easily make a hole in a fence. They are not as expensive as a wall, but they usually require more maintenance.
At the front, you should have low fences, so that criminal or other intruder will be visible to neighbours. The property is safer if anyone passing has an uninterrupted view of the front of the property. Criminals are less likely to be attract to a property if they could be easily seen by anyone walks or drives past.
Wire fences can be cheaper still. They can also be topped with strings of barbed wire in some circumstances and they can also be alarmed. Wire fences will deter a lot of intruders, especially if topped with barbed wire, but they have one weakness. It is easy to make a hole or under the wire and slide through. The ultimate flaw is that anyone with a pair of wire cutters can get in.
Spiked metal railings are probably the most secure fencing there is but they are expensive. It is difficult and time-consuming for a criminal to cut through metal railings.
You may need planning permission to a erect a fence and walls so approach your local council planning officers and discuss your proposals with them. You should also remember that you have a duty of care and should not allow or cause harm to anyone on your property, whether they are legitimate visitors or not.
Hedges
Hedges may appeal to people on aesthetic grounds and they will prevent casual intrusion because they form a barrier. The problem is that an intruder with a set of pruning shears can cut an access point quickly. They can be expensive to buy and plant and they usually take months or years to reach security and therefore provide a real barrier. Prickly shrubs offer a better all-round protection.
Open Plan
Open plan is common on more modern estates. Some deeds specify that no boundary fences are allowed especially at the front of house. Security for the front of the house against intrusion is therefore nonexistent. However an open plan nature does offer a form of defence as it means the criminal will be totally exposed if he approaches the property from the front.
Measures to improve boundary security.
Combine different types of boundary security to increase the level of protection. For example a fence can have a prickly hedge planted alongside it. The prickly shrubs act as a deterrent to the criminal the fence being the primary barrier.
Add a trellis to the top of a fence or wall. Although these are not strong they will deter most intruders. The criminal know that if he tries to climb over a wall or fence with a trellis on top it will break causing a lot of noise that could attract the attention of neighbours or people passing by. They can also be covered with flowering plants so as to improve the appearance of your fence.
Add electronic alarms to a boundary that are triggered by intruders.
You could pay a security company to patrol your property. Some companies offer silent monitored alarms and patrols while others of the simple more bile patrols check your premises at various times during the day and night. Prices are expensive but can be reduced if residents group together and play for an area to be patrolled.
Erect signs saying to 'beware guard dog' or 'premises patrolled by xyz security'. The professional burglar will not be put off, but passing opportunist thief might be. Consider using signs and dummy alarm boxes.
Make sure a gate is fitted to prevent easy access to the rear of the property. Gates are a weak spot in a fence or wall so only install the minimum number of gates. Hinges and locks should be strong and secure.
|