Leaving your home for any amount of time, from a quick grocery trip, to a day at work, can open up a window for a potential burglar to invade your home. Most burglaries happen between the hours of 10 am and 3 pm and only last from eight to 10 minutes. Knowing how to protect your home and prevent burglary is as simple as making a few landscape changes to your home.
- Cover ground near your windows with gravel. The sound of stepping on gravel is enough to deter many potential burglars. The sound can also draw attention from neighbors and passersby’s, which could scare off burglars or alert the authorities.
- Plant thorny bushes below your windows. The thought of unnecessary injury from plants such as roses or bougainvillea is enough to stop most burglars. If you are looking for lower maintenance plants, yuccas or other large succulents, are also good choices.
- Keep all bushes or hedges 3 feet or shorter. This will prevent burglars from being able to hide behind your bushes, while also giving neighbors a clearer view into your home in case of suspicious activity.
- Make your home appear occupied. If you are going away for an extended period of time, make sure to enlist a neighbor to pick up your mail and newspapers so it does not collect in your mailbox or driveway. Make sure to connect some inside lights, and possibly a radio or television, to a timer to make sure they come on when it starts to get dark.
- Enlist the help of the local police. Most local police stations will do random drive-bys of your home while you are gone to make sure everything is secure.
- Install motion-activated lighting. Bright lights can be enough to scare any burglars away. Make sure any dark corners of the outside of your house have motion-activated lights to alert anyone nearby to any activity.
ISU Wissink Insurance Agency encourages you to use these landscaping tips to help prevent burglary in your home. They would also love to find you the best homeowners insurance policy to fit your lifestyle.