27
Jan
2015
By Calvin at 11:50 GMT, 9 years ago
Yesterday the police in Suffolk put out an appeal for information concerning eight allotment sheds that were broken into in Bungay and Beccles.
Three sheds were broken into in Flixton Road, Bungay between Sunday 18 and Sunday 25 January and several items of gardening equipment were taken and five sheds were broken into in Common
Lane Beccles between 9pm on Friday 23 and 8am on Sunday 25 January where three lawnmowers were taken from one of the sheds, although nothing was taken from inside the others.
Anyone with information about these crimes is asked to call PC Paul Taylor at Halesworth Police Station on 101 quoting reference BE/15/117, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
TCPW Comment: Every couple or months or so I highlight shed burglary, because there is just so much of it! It’s one of the categories of crime that, stubbornly, just isn’t going down. In this instance the sheds are all on allotments and so the owners are at some disadvantage when it comes to protecting them, especially if they’re like the ones near me which are not overlooked by houses.
Over the years, my neighbour who cultivates three plots, has suffered his fair share of theft and burglary and has gone to some lengths to protect his shed. In the end, because of the total lack of natural surveillance over the allotment gardens he decided not to keep any machinery in the allotment shed and instead bring it home each day. Fortunately he has plenty of outbuilding storage in his back garden and so it’s not too much bother, but for many allotment holders this will simply not be a solution – so, what to do?
Here’s just a few thoughts to be going on with.....
- If you don’t have to keep machinery and valuable tools in the allotment shed then don’t do it!
- If you have no choice then make sure it is marked and registered. Chances are you’ll be using the kit until it becomes unserviceable and so when I say mark it I mean great big marks deeply engraved into a visible surface of the machine. When I used to have a lawnmower (I no longer have a lawn) I engraved ‘STOLEN if not at UB4 XXX’ in letters 3cm high. Then I painted over them too! Also make a note of any serial numbers and take some photos.
- If this doesn’t put them off then you can slow the thief down by chaining these things up to a ground anchor in the shed
- If you don’t mind spending a few bob you might want to buy a securable tool box, which is fixed to the shed
- If the shed is overlooked by houses then think about a solar powered PIR activated light and encourage the other allotment holders to do the same
- You can, of course, improve the security of the shed and there’s lots of information about that on this page, but you can also buy sheds that have been ‘designed’ to be secure, with everything built in.
- Make security a regular agenda item for the allotment committee meetings so you keep crime prevention topical and see if you can get the whole allotment assessed for security by the police crime prevention officer (if they have one) or an independent security consultant.
- If you don’t want to involve a third party then work with the allotment committee and come up with your own solutions using the ‘Ten principles of crime prevention’ and ‘Problem solving’ techniques, all described for you on this website.
Hope this helps!
News Source Suffolk Constabulary: http://www.suffolk.police.uk/newsandevents/newsstories/2015/january/allotmentshedsbrokeninto.aspx
