Tag: shed security

Police: Shed and garden security tips

What can I do to stop thieves entering and stealing from my garden?

If you have a garden, it’s the first thing an intruder will have to deal with if they want to break into your house. There are also items in your garden which a thief may wish to steal.

Take some simple steps to secure your garden, shed and garage.

Keep hedges, walls and fences low at the front of your house. Keep this to a maximum of 1.2 metres high. This will make it harder for thieves to go unseen by neighbours or people passing by.

Install locked gates so it’s hard to get into the back or sides.  Rear fences and walls should be a minimum 1.8 to 2 metres in height. Trellis topping or an intruder deterrent strip can make climbing difficult.

Grow aggressive shrubbery to make it hard for intruders to climb through. Ideal plants include berberis, blue spruce, common holly, giant rhubarb, golden bamboo, firethorn, shrub rose, pencil Christmas tree, juniper and rubus (bramble).

Security lighting around your property can act as a deterrent. Ask whether neighbours would see someone with the light. Careful use of lighting will inform you or neighbours if someone is there.

Avoid floodlighting that can cause problems to neighbouring properties.

Make sure waste / recycling bins aren’t in a place which will make them easy to use to step or climb over fences/walls or access windows.

Lock away any garden implements, furniture or tools in a shed, garage or outside store. Items such as ladders can be useful for breaking into your home.

What can I do to protect property in my shed and garage?

  • Photograph valuable items of garden furniture or tools and keep a record of the make, model, colour and serial numbers.
  • Use a UV pen or DNA Marking Kit to security mark your tools or furniture with your house number and postcode
  • Use a chain to lock garden tools and furniture together, ensure the anchor point is securely fixed to the ground or solid structure
  • Fit a good quality hasp and padlock to the door, make sure it is fitted with dome headed or non-returnable screws to prevent tampering
  • Sold Secure or Secured By Design products should be considered
  • Secure windows and don’t let intruders see inside
  • Depending on the type of window, you could consider fitting internal window grills, heavy wire mesh or reinforced glass
  • If a window opens, a window lock should be fitted
  • If you have an intruder alarm, consider extending it to cover sheds, garages and outbuildings. Ensure that there is a visible external sounder box
  • If you do not have a secure shed, don’t leave items lying out bring items inside
  • If your garage joins with your home and there is a through door, it should be to the same security standard as your front or back door, and when not being used you should keep it locked.

#OpSummerCity: Police Security advice at Princes Street Gardens

Officers will be holding a crime prevention information stall today (Saturday, 7 August), between 11am – 3pm at the #OpSummerCity Command Vehicle at East Princes Street Gardens.

Come and talk to us about home, garage & shed security and bike security.

Have a #SafeSummer

Police issue garden shed security advice

Garage/Shed Security

Break-ins to garden sheds and thefts from gardens are common throughout the country.

In fact, many criminals consider this type of crime to be low risk, as they don’t have to force entry to your home. Many people store bikes, power tools and expensive gardening equipment in their sheds making it very attractive to criminals.

The good news is that there is a lot you can do to outsmart garden thieves. A few simple solutions can make all the difference to the security of your garden:

• Make sure the lock is in good working order.
• If there are any windows in the garage/shed, fit a grill, adhesive frosting or put a curtain over the window, so that people cannot see in.
• Secure all the equipment that you can by padlock and chain, make sure it is attached to the building – a ground anchor is preferable.
• Surrounding hedges or trees should be trimmed or cropped so as not to provide cover for thieves.
• Clear your garden all of debris, rubble and tools that may be used to force entry.
• Consider installing a garage defender, which secures the door to the ground.
• If there is a door accessing the garage, make sure the locks are good quality and preferably tested to a British Standard.
• Use a good quality closed shackle padlock on your shed door. The hasp should be attached using coach bolts or anti tamper screws rather than basic screws.
• Loop a bike lock through the handles of garden forks, spades, etc. Remember, these can be used as tools to force entry to your house.
• Security mark your bicycles, lawnmowers, toolboxes and garden furniture, by engraving, painting or using a security marker pen.
• Install security lighting to illuminate your garden.
• Fit a shed alarm. These can be bought from online for around £10.
• Consider topping your fence or wall with a trellis, which will provide an additional barrier and provide support for climbing plants.
• Aggressive plants and shrubs, such as Berberis and Hawthorn can help deter intruders.
• Sign up to local alerts provided by Police at; http://ow.ly/YTLa30qxGDs

If you see anyone acting suspiciously near to your premises please contact the police immediately with as detailed a description as possible of any person or vehicle involved.

Please call 999 if an emergency and urgent police assistance is required or 101 to report the matter to the police.

For more advice, check our website – http://ow.ly/TifL30qxGDt

Police advice on garage/shed security

Break-ins to garden sheds and thefts from gardens are common throughout the country. In fact, many criminals consider this type of crime to be low risk, as they don’t have to force entry to your home. Many people store bikes, power tools and expensive gardening equipment in their sheds making it very attractive to criminals. Continue reading Police advice on garage/shed security