From Newsgroup: alt.security


taken from https://archive.ph/20120718154110/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1216/is_n5_v181/ai_6730246#selection-623.1-645.43

goddamn brilliant extrapolation, when i saw "landscaping" mentioned
on the security engineering wikipedia page i laughed then i actually
read the article.

SECURITY LANDSCAPING: Residential Security Through Landscape Design ===================================================================

Residential security through landscape design is a notion gaining
popularity in many urban and suburban areas throughout the West. People
are discovering that their homes needn't look like Fort Knox, with metal
bars and expensive electronic equipment. Instead, a few alterations to
the landscape can be enough to put off intruders.

Some modifications may be physical barriers--such as spiny plants located
along fences and under windows. Others may be psychological deterrents:
if a garden looks well maintained, allows few hiding places, and is well lighted at night, statistics show that prowlers are more likely to search
for easier targets.

According to crime-prevention officers we interviewed in five Western
states, 75% to 85% of all burglars are teenagers striking within a mile
of their homes. And most are "opportunity criminals," not professionals:
they see an easy target and take advantage of it.

"Anything you do to change the appearance of your home so it doesn't look
like an easy mark will help keep intruders away. Look at your garden
through the eyes of a burglar to determine your vulnerable spots," says Portland crime-prevention specialist Teri Poppino.

Use the suggestions below as a guide to determine what matters most to
you.

Of course, not all of them will interest everyone. Privacy, for example,
is just as important as security to many homeowners, so sacrificing an 8-foot-tall front hedge to make a home more burglarproof may not hold
much appeal. Still, security may matter enough that you'll choose to
protect vulnerable side and rear windows with thorny rose bushes.

PLANT OR PRUNE TO PROTECT VULNERABLE AREAS ------------------------------------------

To avoid getting caught, intruders look for property they can get into
and out of quickly. Their ideal target is a house surrounded by large
hedges and shrubs, which hamper visibility from the street and from
neighbors' houses.

Thin out overgrown foliage on large shrubs to expose branch structure; if
you can see through large plants, no one can hide behind them. If a plant
is too overgrown, remove it and start over with one that's slower or
lower growing. Prune shrubs for clear views from windows.

If you arrange to have a neighbor keep an eye on your property during the
day, try to make it easier to see from the neighbor's house. Walk over
and take a look from that vantage point yourself to make sure the view is clear. You may even want to remove a tree branch or two to improve
visibility.

Intruders also look for no (or few) obstacles blocking quick exits, and
public access on at least one side of a property fence. Homes next to
schools, along drainage ditches, and near parks are among the most
vulnerable. They're also among those that can best use security
landscaping.

Sacramento nurseryman Dan Pratt says, "Neighbors are going to think you're
a little unfriendly if you string your fence with barbed wire. Protecting
it with spiny vines and shrubs is a lot more attractive and just as
effective."

Once on the property, burglars most commonly get into the house through basement, bathroom, or bedroom windows, which are often left ajar or can
be pried easily. Thorny bushes planted below these windows will
discourage even the most nimble intruders.

PROWLERPROOF PLANTS
-------------------

Any plant with thorns or spines on stems or leaves--large enough to
inflict pain when touched--qualifies as prowlerproof. Which specific
plants you choose depends on your climate.

In the Pacific Northwest, you might try gooseberry's thorny cousin,
barberry (Berberis), holly, or Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium). Good
choices for many parts of California include bougainvillea, citrus, Natal
plum, and pyracantha. In the desert, try bougainvillea, cactus, citrus,
and spine-tipped yuccas. Roses and cane berries work anywhere. For
additional choices, visit a nursery.

These armed plants don't have to inflict injury to be effective; one
Southern California landscape architect told us about three burglars who
were nabbed by Beverly Hills police after owners heard them struggling in
their spiny shrubs.

Make sure the plant you choose will eventually cover the entire area you
want to protect (use more than one, if necessary). Also, start them close enough to the house or fence so that no one will be able to slip behind
them once they've matured.

If you use spiny plants under windows, don't forget to leave yourself a
way out in case of a fire. Leave one window free of plants and keep it
locked. Use protected ones for ventilation.

LIGHT UP YOUR GARDEN
--------------------

In most cases, you don't need floodlights to illuminate your property adequately. Attractive, low-wattage lighting is an effective way to keep intruders from getting interested. If they think they can be easily seen, they're likely to stay away.

At front entries, 40-watt bulbs usually suffice (they should give you
enough light to read newspaper print). Use 60-watt bulbs at back doors
and by the garage. In remote parking areas, you may want to consider a high-intensity light.

If you do use floodlights, don't point them away from the house; the
glare can actually provide cover for an intruder by temporarily blinding
you as you approach. Instead, direct them downward from the eaves or
upward from the ground--toward a house wall, for instance.

Use photoelectric cells or a timer to turn on outdoor lights at dusk.

You can also install infrared security lights (available at home building centers) that trigger floodlights when they detect body heat and
movement. Although such systems can be expensive, the lights come on only
when necessary, and you'll save some on energy bills. If animals roam
your property, adjust beams several feet above the ground so the animals
don't activate the lights.

OTHER SIMPLE DETERRENTS
-----------------------

Every little thing you do can help. Dogs, crunchy gravel paths to magnify
the noise of foot traffic, and wind chimes over windows all reduce your
chances of becoming a victim. Also, use good security sense: lock back
and side gates (it's worth the extra trouble of making special
arrangements with maintenance companies and gardeners, if necessary), and
start a neighborhood watch program if you haven't already.

Families in one burglary-plagued Portland neighborhood got together to
help solve the problem: they landscaped for better security, following guidelines similar to the ones presented here. Then they pitched in to
buy a wood chipper for the mass of prunings that resulted.
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