Deterring Prowlers

[diamond lil]

Was just reading on another forum that a lady got up to find somebody had been creeping around outside her house at night and left footprints in the mud in the garden. Also had stood on her compost bin to get over the fence. I dont have any probs like this here but it got me wondering how to deter sods like this. Any ideas that you have found good ?

[Bournemouthprepper]

Was just reading on another forum that a lady got up to find somebody had been creeping around outside her house at night and left footprints in the mud in the garden. Also had stood on her compost bin to get over the fence. I dont have any probs like this here but it got me wondering how to deter sods like this. Any ideas that you have found good ?

fake or real CCTV cameras... higher fences, which are pointed at the top? lil bit of barbed wire! a loud dog... oh and a sign saying "trespassers will be shot"... perfect

[Carrot Cruncher]

Security/Sensor lights, various types of thorny bushes (the police list the best ones), trellis on top of the fence that wont support anyones weight, cameras, .

All the spikes/glass/carpet gripper etc that you might be tempted to put on top of the fence are of dubious legality at best, but personally I would probably do whatever it takes to keep the thieving gits out, but you do risk being prosecuted for hurting the poor little cherubs

And to save anyone the trouble of quoting me the relevant laws This is the police advice from here: https://www.askthe.police.uk/content/Q7 ... hedayid=80

Q78: Can I put barbed/razor wire/broken glass on the top of my fence to stop people getting in?


Using barbed/razor wire and broken glass in order to stop people getting in to your home is not advisable. You are making yourself liable to civil action as you owe a duty of care to ensure that visitors to your property are reasonably safe. As absurd as it may seem you also owe a lower duty of care to trespassers.

The use of such a preventative measure could also be seen as being detrimental to the neighbourhood.

Using other methods of crime prevention such as trellis fencing and defensible planting is often more effective and pleasant to look at.

Trellis fencing is effective because it increases the height of the boundary and it is not usually strong enough to hold an intruder's weight Therefore, they may not want to risk climbing over it, breaking it and making a loud noise.

Prickly plants such as Hawthorne, Poncira, Pyracantha (rapid growth), Rosa rugosa, or any kind of Berberis are an effective obstacle against possible intruders and much more pleasant to look at.

Whatever method you use, it is important to ensure that you have planning permission, if required, and you do not leave yourself open to civil proceedings. Please see websites in related information for more detail or contact your local crime prevention/reduction officer.

[Red Doe]

The trespass laws England have don`t exist in Scotland. Under `Right to roam` anyone has pretty much free license to cross any land (I think, with the exceptions of MOD and Queen`s estates of which she owns too much...um...a lot, sorry.... ) so long as they are not damaging livestock, crops, fresh water supplies etc and generally following the Country Code of closing gates behind them and so on.
On the other hand, prowlers are investigated by the police, at least in rural areas, in case it`s a mad stalker/peeping Tom or the like.
We get lots of tourists up this way in summer. Ninety nine percent of them are lovely folks just visiting to walk, camp and have a look at the scenery. Ten percent are hauled here unwillingly by parents or teachers such as a coachload of teens who tried to break into various places when night fell. Local polis (one man at the nearest village...note, that village is three houses and an hotel) sorted them out no problem at all and it`s unlikely they will be back.
On a personal level, I padlock all my outbuildings, mainly due to having work tools I want to hold onto, and have a dog that will bark at strangers, but if you`re in the country the best thing to have is geese, which are excellent guard dogs and will see off the hardiest trespasser, especially if you don`t curb their natural instinct to take a running dive at the intruder.

[diamond lil]

The quoting of laws etc is not necessary and not relevant here, this is not a police forum & it's just silly. Is perfectly ok to talk about what measures we would like to put in place & ways of doing it innocently
Personally I can't see much point in CCTV really. Unless you're awake and watching it all night and catch them on it so you can phone the cops. If not, all you'll get is an image of somebody in dark gear with a hat or balaclava on and the cops are hardly likely to start a manhunt
I like the idea of planting aggressive shrubs though Only vulnerable bit I have is the back of the house which faces empty fields and they say here that in the miners strike they had bother with folk who pinched turnips etc from the fields. That might happen again if things get tougher, but it won't be miners and they might not just be after tumshies

[Dutchie Delta]

Outside perimeter planted with hawthorn, brambles and other prickly yet productive plants.
On the grounds, trip wires, little bells that'll go off when someone steps on the wire, nasty dogs that roam freely at night.
Flashlight with a motion detector.
Anything else I could write about is illegal.

[diamond lil]

Anything else I could write about is illegal.

BAH -my nose is bothering me now

[Technik]

You can pimp the motion sensor and add a strobe to it - at night it would work beautifully.

I remember I saw a video on youtube some time ago that somewhere in the far, far east (some desert land) the law allows you to fit flamethrowers onto your car - anyone approaches you car and tries to open the door with anything else than your car key and they're grilled
Somethink like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDrzMGdYWZc

[the-gnole]

Automatic sensor controlled paintball sentry

[janso]

Did you see the program on the other night regarding Tony Martin? Quite eye opening on how the country views self defence and defending the home, must remember to look at current legislation on keeping mine MINE!!!