THE
POLICE IN CHISWICK A Secure Garden
Your garden should be a peaceful and relaxing place for you to enjoy. You can also make it a secure place that will help to protect you and your home from burglars.
Fencing
in your garden
You should put up a strong fence to make it harder for burglars
to get into your back garden. You could have a fence made
from panelling or railings or you could build a brick wall.
Whichever you choose, ensure that it does not have any features,
which would make it easy to climb over.
The fence should be a minimum height of 1.8m/6ft including
trellis. If the height exceeds 2m/6ft 7ins including trellis,
you may require planning permission from the local authority.
Trellis should be secured with screws on the garden side of
the fence and should be strong enough to support a climbing
plant, but not an intruder. This is one instance where a lesser
quality is preferred.
A boundary wall or fence at the front of your property will
also deter intruders. If you have a large hedge at the front
boundary, ensure that it does not grow too high. Passing pedestrians
should ideally be able to see the bottom of the ground floor
windows. A high hedge may give you privacy but it also allows
intruders to hide, unseen in your front garden.
Gate
The garden gate should be the same height, and as strong as
your fencing or wall. It should have hinges securely fixed
to the gateposts and secured with a padlock or strong integral
lock. If you have metal gate, ensure that the cross bar is
not a convenient height for climbing. Many people use wire
mesh on the exterior of the gate to prevent climbing
Paths
If you are thinking of relaying the front path, consider using
gravel as a topping. The noise may warn you of anyone approaching
the property
Lighting
Lighting activated by photoelectric cells will ensure a general
coverage, particularly in the back garden. Other lighting,
which may be considered, is activated by heat or movement
sensors. It is important that the sensors and lamps are fitted
out of reach from the ground
Planting
You can make your fences more effective by planting something
prickly and thorny next to them.
Train a thorny climbing plant, like a rose, through the trellis
on the top of the rear fence. Anyone trying to climb over
will soon find out that although roses look attractive, they
can feel just like barbed wire.
Plant prickly shrubs along the bottom of your fences or walls
to discourage unwanted intruders into your garden. It is also
advisable to grow low level prickly shrubs underneath ground
floor windows.
If you require further advice regarding the types of shrubs and hedges, which will provide the best protection, please contact the Crime Prevention Officer at Chiswick Police Station on 020 8247 6424.
A booklet can be provided free of charge