Back yard

[dizzydays]

I put carpet gripper along the top of a gate like that. Probably not legal, and didn't stop one little thug climbing over - but he sure wasn't happy when he ran off...


DD

[junmist]

I would get together with the neighbours and ask the council to put gates at either end you can point out the cost of them removing the rubbish dumped there.
Plants that will do well in shade are Roses fairy is a nice thorny one- Pyracantha's Firethorn- Berberis and Eleutherrococcus Sieboldii but remember they will need to be looked after which is no fun with thorns. If the lane is wide enough you could plant them on the lane side against your wall with a nice rose arch over the gate.

[Moxy]

Thefts tend to be opportunistic but obviously with a burglary they will more than likely scope your property out. During that scoping out they are going to make a decision as to whether it is worth their time breaking in, making noise and risking getting caught/ hurt or leaving DNA samples. Putting light trellis along the top of the wall means that they will be forced to use it to get over your wall. Because it is light, it will break, potentially injuring them or alerting neighbours. Also 'anti-pigeon' spikes will prove too painful to climb on. Bolting a sheet of metal on the laneside of the gate would reinforce the gate and be a possible deterrent (also have you ever heard sheet metal getting hit? - very noisy). Lighting is an obvious deterrent and you can't go wrong with led pir floods. I protect my house with these. For the front of house, gravel pathway can be a handy way of alerting nosey neighbours while you're out or yourself when you're in bed. Can't go wrong with a dog warning sign and a dummy CCTV camera (CCTV systems are pricey).

[Yorkshire Andy]

The way i look at it is you want to be a bit more tiresome than the houses next door........ but not over kill


if you look overkill for your area its like hanging a sign saying you have something worth pinching...

you want to be a gray house with a hint of black........

next door has a padlock on their shed make sure yours is slightly bigger and shinier than theirs with a little bigger hasp and staple and a net curtain over the window.. (not overkill just more work involved and they cant see if you have owt worth the effort to nick )

next door has an dull weathered alarm box... make sure yours is clean shiney and has a flashing status light /s to show its active / working

(if you can't afford an alarm look at alarms local to you and get a dummy box from a wholesaler and get on ebay there are flashing led units with a 10 year battery pack for £10 ish and set them up to match that brand of alarm box scrotes know that brand "B bell box" has green flashing lights in the strobe unit for example bit of super glue or alraldite and it will look like a £200-£300 system for less than £20....


eg this


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TEXECOM-ODYSS ... 2c85878082

and this led kit

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221461524903? ... EBIDX%3AIT


will make it look real look about your local area for the same bell box and see how the led's are spaced and stick them in place... (that bell box uses 2 green status leds )

[triffid]

Old topic I know.... but check out Lidl offers 22-28 January.
Unfortunately not on line (now) but in weekly newsletter:

Wireless Alarm 69.99
TV simulator 7.99 (good idea but no sound? - so leave radio on?)
Dummy camera 5.99
door alarm/glass alarm 3.99 plus smoke & carbon monoxide alarms

[hobo]

Thanks Triffid. It's an ongoing project. I have fitted PIR lights at the front and back now. This week I've my handyman friend coming round to see if the bulkhead lights I have around the yard can be replaced with PIR versions. We'll also be talking about reinforcing inner and outer doors, and creating a covered woodstore.

[triffid]

Thanks Triffid. It's an ongoing project. I have fitted PIR lights at the front and back now. This week I've my handyman friend coming round to see if the bulkhead lights I have around the yard can be replaced with PIR versions. We'll also be talking about reinforcing inner and outer doors, and creating a covered woodstore.

You're welcome, Hobo.

I hope this post doesn't make me seem like an Lidl salesperson but..... the brochure also has motion sensors @ £3.99 that can be wired into your existing bulkhead lights (and LED motion sensor spotlights @ £11.99).
To get yourself a copy of their latest brochure register with them on http://www.lidl.co.uk/en/1281.htm & they will e-mail you a newsletter of their offers.

(Though the 'e' version for the security selection I mentioned isn't available on lins as of now)

[hobo]

Ooh, cheers Triffid!

[Hamradioop]

here are the details Hobo

http://www.lidl.co.uk/en/our-offers-249 ... l&id=20234

[Yorkshire Andy]

Shouldn't be an issue putting a pir between the lights and your light switch leave them switched on in the house then the pir holds the light off till motion is seen ....

You can rock the switch off and on to make the lights stay on too.....

Put led bulbs in so they use naff all power and are instant on unlike normal cfl low energy lights