Deterring would be Intruders

jaqui59

Hi everyone ...

We not so long ago moved to a very quiet area, and the rear garden runs straight into a large area of woodland.

Because of where our house is, we are seriously considering installing a burglar alarm, but its just entered my mind to ask on this Forum whether anybody has discovered less conventional ways to try and deter would be intruders from their homes.

I would be interested to hear of any .. Thankyou

19lottie82

My Mum swears by leaving the radio on in the kitchen lol

You can get "dummy" alarm boxes to stick up outside your house, think they're about a tenner.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WHITE-DECOY-DUMMY-ALARM-BOX-ODYESSY-/200602034183?pt=UK_Burglar_Alarms&hash=item2eb4d02007

warwicktiger

Thorn hedges.
Motion detecting lights - can be solar powered to save wiring up.
Dogs(s)
Warning notices about dogs

Just a few ideas, but phone your local police and ask for a crime prevention officer to come round, they can give you more tips.

londonsurrey

Can you plant a thorny hedge at the bottom of your garden? A great place to have brambly blackcurrant bushes

Radio 4 kept on permanently when you're not in.
A tv or light kept on in an inner room, so the light or flickering from the tv can be seen from outside, but people can't see into the room to determine that there's no one there.

Good secure doors, not ones that can be kicked in. A friend put in a nice modern door in the front of his new house, but kept the old kitchen door. Burglars broke in that way.

TheConways

Mum has a gate with finniels (sp?!) on the side entrance to our house. When away, she padlocks the gate, covering the padlock with a beware of the dog sign. She bought a HUGE bone from the butcher and puts it in sight of the gate.

We've had many an electricity reader cowering in fear, and never had a burglary touch wood even though others have been burgled on our street.

It's all about making your home that little bit harder to get into...

red_devil

window locks

CH27

Fake CCTV cameras are effective.

ItchyFeet

Crunchy gravel around the house.

AllyBabe

My friend is a member of a neighbourhood watch group and the police recommended using a light that flickers as if a TV is on. I keep meaning to order one!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fake-TV-Intruder-Deterrent-FTV10/dp/B004ZDJCDE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1330446944&sr=8-1

HTH

Caroline_a

Unfortunately in this day and age it's not about stopping burglars, it's about sending them to another house. I've always had dogs, and luckily have never been burgled, although houses on either side of me have. Coincidence? Possibly, but also maybe because at 54kg my Shepherd is the smallest dog I've had for a while. Burglars don't seem to like Great Danes for some reason... no idea why..

jaqui59

Thanks for all the ideas ... Keep em comin'

We have been considering the fake alarm box and will probably go down that route to save on cost.

I love that TV flickering light idea, and will be recommending that one to friends and family.

Strangely enough we have crunchy gravel all around our house, but because of the woodland we have Muntjac and Foxes walking around at night, but I think they are too small to set off the motion detection lights we already have .. So if I wake up and hear a crunching sound, but no light comes on, I have to presume its a small animal, but sometimes I just have to get up and double check .. Grrrr!

The garden had a ton of bramble in it at the bottom, but it was so unsightly we cut it all down, and we are going to replace it with a hedge that we will let grow to 6ft.

Im a bit strange in that I tend to be concerned more about somebody breaking in whilst we are there, rather than when we are out, hence being slightly paranoid about having strong doors and windows.