Securing The Front Of Your Home
The Front Of Your Property
The front should normally be as open plan as possible. Whether it is overlooked by other houses in your street, or visible from the road, a burglar will be put off by the prospect that he/she may be seen at work.
Gravel drives and pathways
Gravel drives and pathways are a great first line of defence against unwanted visitors.
Unlike their paved or tarmac equivalents, gravel paths and driveways make a noticeable crunching noise when walked upon. For a burglar, the noise made when walking on graveled areas always brings the risk of drawing unwanted attention to themselves. This can be an especially effective deterrent at night.
Visibility At The Front Of Your House
If the front of your house can be seen from the road, or by your neighbours, then it is important to use this to your advantage. Don’t hide your house behind high hedges or fences, make sure that anyone at the front of your house can always be seen.
Porches
If you have a sideways facing front porch, remember too that this can allow a burglar to work without being seen.
The Side Gate
Timber or wrought iron, make sure that you have a high side gate, as this will be on the boundary between your “open”, front area, and your “closed”, rear.
Wrought iron type gates have the advantage that they can be seen through, (useful for increasing visibility to side doors and the back garden). Make sure that wrought iron gates are fixed in such a way that they cannot be simply lifted off of their hinges. The gate should rest on the bottom “L” bracket, the top bracket should be fitted the other way up to prevent removal of the gate.
To further increase the effectiveness of your side gate, consider adding a section of wooden trellis immediately above, between the fence posts or fence post and wall.
