London Secure have given us some information to share with you regarding methods of securing your premises.
Three security barriers that can be installed to deter and delay thieves from climbing over our fences or walls into the rear garden. Rear gardens are often vulnerable because they are away from the business of the road, secluded, and often not overlooked.
‘So, what can we do to protect them?
Create a natural defence against burglary, by planting particular shrubs (in their mature or semi mature form) along garden walls and fences can make it harder for burglars to access your property or put them off completely. Here’s an extensive list of suitable shrubs as recommended by the Met Police: Berberis, Osmanthus, Forget, Poncirus, Crataegus, Pyracantha, Aralia, Chaenomeles, Ribes, Oplopanax, Elaeagnus, Robinia, Colletia, Ilex, Climbing roses, Maclura, Mahonia, Ligustrum (privet), or laurel, Smilax and Zanthoxylum.
Installing ‘Pricklestrips’ to the top of the fence or wall. Pricklestrips are made from plastic, they are inexpensive, easy to install and are available in a range of colours. Strips of Pricklestrip are generally: 20 mm high x 50 mm wide x 450 mm long. The plastic spikes on the Pricklestrip are not designed to pierce the skin of anyone trying to grab them whilst attempting to climb over them, but it would hurt and hopefully deter them.
Pricklestrips can be viewed as a mild deterrent to humans climbing over them, whilst cats and birds are definitely deterred from walking or landing on them!
Fixing steel wall spikes is a more serious option, as they are sharp and robust enough to pierce the boot of someone trying to stand on them. The wall spikes are screwed to the top of a wall or fence like Pricklestrip, but the installation should be left to a trained installer to avoid injury to any casual DIYer. Strips of steel wall spikes are generally: 110 mm high x 95 mm wide x 1500 mm long and they are complete with a plain galvanised finish or they can be powder coated almost any colour with ‘Fir Green’ being a popular colour that blends in with the garden greenery. This product is suitable for both residential and commercial usage, providing they are attached to walls and fences at a minimum height of 2m with the necessary warning signs placed every 5 linear metres. The installed wall spikes must avoid any and all contact with pedestrian traffic and be installed in a highly visible manner in compliance with the Occupier’s Liability Act 1984.
