Protect your boundaries
Tips to secure your outdoor space and keep burglars in plain sight.
Most criminals will not target your home if the risk to them of being seen, noticed and getting caught is too great.
To deter intruders getting into your garden, you could:
- have a low front boundary – keep hedges and walls at the front of your house under one metre tall, so they do not provide cover for someone to hide
- install fencing that is at least 1.8m in height – to prevent easy access; check with your local planning department to find out how high rear and side boundaries can be
- fit a suitable anti-climb topping to place on top of gates, walls or fences – a bed of small rigid plastic cones is recommended, rather than barbed wire or broken glass
- consider fitting a steel bar gate that is at least the same height as your garden fencing – if the access to the back of your house is gained via a passage
- keep side gates locked at all times – open or unlocked gates mean intruders can easily access your home without being seen by passers-by or neighbours
- fit an outside motion-activated security light – to identify movement and deter intruders; these can come with video cameras which alert your smartphone
- have a gravel driveway and paths – these are ideal at preventing a silent approach
- put any of your tools away – never leave tools lying around as they can be used as a way of breaking into your home
Create a natural defence
Supplement and reinforce garden fences or walls with tall and prickly plants and shrubbery to act as a further deterrent to accessing your property.
The best shrubs to deter burglars are fast-growing, dense, and thorny, creating an impassable, painful barrier for any intruder. To maximise this effect, plant them close to each other.
Consider planting:
- Berberis (Barberry) – these have small, sharp spines and form a dense, often colourful hedge that is difficult to penetrate
- Blackthorn or Hawthorn – excellent for boundary hedging due to their sharp, aggressive thorns
- Gorse – a hardy, prickly shrub with needle-like foliage, often seen on coastland
- Mahonia (Oregon grape) – tough, spiny-leaved, evergreen shrubs
- Pyracantha (Firethorn) – fast-growing evergreen with extremely sharp spikes and dense growth, good for training against fences or under windows
- Shrub roses – they produce thorny stems that form an effective barrier
These prickly plants and shrubs will deter burglars from accessing your property. They can also be used under first-floor windows and around drainpipes to prevent unauthorised access.
Trespassing
Trespassing on private land is usually a civil matter, rather than a criminal offence, meaning police may not attend unless damage or harassment occurs.
If safe, ask intruders to leave; otherwise, contact your local council for advice.