Intruder

[Chrysallis]

Hello all

I am not sure if I should post this here, but, please move it if it's in the wrong place... I'd like to ask a question on better security please.

Last night our dog cornered a man in our back garden and alerted us by barking and growling (she is usually very quiet). By the time OH had found the torch (no lighting in the back), he'd legged it over the back fence, and luckily, when OH looked around nothing had been taken or damaged. I am hoping our terrier managed to sink a bite in but we don't know!

I would appreciate any advice on how to make the garden more secure (legally!). We are enclosed from the front road as our garage blocks access to the back and that is secured, we are in a 2 bed semi bungalow. Our neighbours have low, 5 foot trellis fencing, which we assume he gained access to us from there. Other side, neighbours have 6 foot wooden fence on 1 foot gravel board, fairly secure. On the back, neighbours have 5 foot fence more secure with hedge, although a lower point where other neighbours fence meets it. Hope I've explained that properly.

As we want to store stuff, in shed/garage we need to make sure it isn't pinched, OH has built his own solid shed out of 2" x 6" solid planks with key lock (not padlock) although windows are vulnerable.

Any advice appreciated and thanks in advance.
C

[Hamradioop]

Contact your local Crime prevention officer ( if they still have them with all the cuts.)

Sounds like you dog is doing a good job, give it a pat from me

[redskies]

Good Dog! Hope she's getting an extra good dinner tonight


HRL's advice is good. I'd also be looking at planting something spikey as a deterrant. Dog roses grow fast and spread nicely. So does Blackthorn, and there must be other stuff out there - time for a trip to the local nursery!

Might also be an idea, in the meantime, to string up some tin cans and things - anything that'll make a good noise - the length of the fence, where someone climbing over can't help but hit it and alert you. Also, some outside lighting of some kind, plus a torch kept by the back door.

I'd also report it to the police as a prowler, so they've got a log of it.

Good luck, and I hope he doesn't come back.

[Chrysallis]

Hello RHL & RS

I didn't think to report it as nothing taken/damaged, but might be a good idea to do that, and see if a CPO can attend. Who knows if he may come back and try his luck at neighbours? Hopefully he will think twice about coming in our garden again.

Dog has had extra treats, plenty of fuss, a good walk and play, it's like all her Christmas & Birthday's have come at once! Nice tea lined up for her tonight too, she might not be able to move as fast....

We do have hawthorn hedge at the back although it's a bit straggly, and have planted a nice spiky couple of holly bushes, athough they are young yet, at the lower point on the bottom fence. They are about 6 foot tall, but just like young saplings now, I like the idea of stringing up tins along there as an extra alert.

Trying not to get into paranoid mode, e.g. all night vigil, walking stick at ready, etc. as we have to sleep too. Just going to rely on noise alerts and dog for now. Maybe a bigger dog too? Need to warn neighbours (already spoken to one today about it) to alert them too....

C

[redskies]

It's a good idea to report it as it creates a log of the incident, and makes police aware of a prowler. As you say, he might move onto a neighbour next. As it is, if you report it, you might even get an extra swing by from a patrol car. And it helps police track his movement.

Good for you warning the neighbours. I'd put a note through the doors where I didn't get a reply, just saying that the dog chased off a prowler and you wanted to make them aware of it and they can contact you for further information if required.

Rather than a bigger dog, how about a recording of something that sounds like a slavering, very hungry wolfhound? You could hook it up to a motion sensor. Not that I'm evil or anything, but it would serve two purposes. The first is to scare off intruders, the second is to alert you to the intruder. As long as you don't have the sensor set too high. You'd need to work on that, and where to place it.

[KalPrep]

Definitely contact your CPO, it helps them justify their job in the area and can get you some extra patrols etc. We had a spate of attempted car thefts that were all reported, we got some extra walks by bobbies and the odd patrol extra too.

I would seriously suggest getting a floodlight to cover the back garden. You can pick up solar powered ones or mains attached. This combined with making their climb difficult often keeps the bad guys away, they don't like being lit up like that. Also consider a fake camera or camera housing, works wonders.

[Moony]

A foot or so of lightweight trellis can put them off as it will collapse when they try to climb over and hopefully drop them painfully into your new spiky bushes.

[poppypiesdad]

A foot or so of lightweight trellis can put them off as it will collapse when they try to climb over and hopefully drop them painfully into your new spiky bushes.

As moony said , they hate it because it cannot weight bear and collapse , perhaps a pur flood light , the new led ones are excellent , just be aware that the could have been seeing what's in the shed to come back and get , perhaps board over the windows or get a grill made to secure it if its the weak point ,

J

Good doggie btw

[Chrysallis]

Hello all

Thanks for the replies and advice, neighbours are primed and ready, they have got exterior lights next door on the lower fence side, so they are going to be more vigilant. Hoping we won't get an unwanted visitor, but, everyone's on the alert now.

Only have exterior light on the front/drive, on a sensor, next job will be getting one on the rear.

We are going to add trellis to raise height of lower fence, tin can alarm, contact CPO, and have spare planks against shed windows inside, so even if someone has a go at it, they will make too much noise....

Wonder if it's my imagination that crime is getting worse? Local shop near us has been hit 3 times recently, neighbours over the road burgled, and young girl returning from school before parents came home from work, found someone in their kitchen (she hadn't locked the back door) which scared the bejesus out of her.....

C

[jansman]

After this happened to us , I put up barbed wire and set broken glass into mortar on top of the 6' wall they scaled to get in. Before I get told it is " illegal", I don't give a monkey's I put a warning sign on the wall-so it is tough on intruders.
When someone is on your property , especially at night, it is scary. Glad no harm was done.