Ways To Secure Your Yard And Prevent Home Break-Ins

Home break-ins occur every 13 seconds. Is your home secure? Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) offers several convenient ways to tweak your yard and protect your home, family and peace of mind.

Overgrown shrubs, bushes and trees provide the perfect cover for hiding burglars who can hide in the bushes or the shadows. Overgrown trees also serve as convenient ladders that allow thieves to gain access to your second floor. By trimming foliage, you reduce hiding spots and thwart a burglar’s attempts at entering your home.

Tall or thick flower and weed growth provides convenient cover for thieves. Take a minute right now to walk outside and look at your landscaping. Note any areas that need to be pruned or weeded, and do it today as you reduce burglar hiding spots.

Burglars are lazy. They won’t fight thorns to invade your home. By planting roses and other thorny bushes under your windows, you eliminate hiding spots and help deter thieves.

Some burglars are very bold. They’ll dress like a delivery person, mail carrier or construction worker and walk right up to your front door. If trees or bushes hide the door from nosy neighbors, thieves may then decide to open or break the door and get into your home. Clear the entryway to prevent burglary.

Thieves love darkness, so install motion detector lights around your home. They’re less invasive than a spotlight but turn on when someone moves outside your house and provide the security you need.

Burglars are more likely to target homes that look uninhabited. By maintaining your lawn, you show thieves that you care and are present in your home. If you plan to go on vacation or work long hours, hire someone to do yard work for you.