Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Nip Garden Crime in the Bud! - Crime Prevention

West Mercia Police is urging green-fingered residents to help the force ‘weed out’ garden crime by reviewing and improving their garden, shed and allotment security.
Although many people take steps to protect their homes and the property inside them, they leave valuable equipment in gardens and unsecured sheds, providing easy pickings for opportunist thieves. Around 1500 shed burglaries take place every year within West Mercia, which highlights the importance of storing valuable items securely.
Top tips for a safer garden:

• Gates, fences and walls should be kept in good repair

• Grow prickly plants close to windows, fences, boundary walls and drainpipes

• Don’t leave expensive equipment like garden tools, mowers, mountain bikes and power tools in the shed

• If you have nowhere else to store valuable equipment, take measures to secure your shed

• Don’t leave ladders and tools lying around in your garden – these could be used to break into your home

• Mark your garden tools and equipment with your postcode.

For more garden, shed and allotment security advice, contact your local policing team on 0300 333 3000.

Alternatively, visit the force website (www.westmercia.police.uk) where you can also download a copy of the force’s ‘Stop – all valuables have been removed’ poster to display on your shed. Don’t forget to remove any valuables first though!

(Reproduced from Loggerheads Community Information Shop, 25th April 2011)

Gardien Tip:  All the above is good advice. More info and garden security products can be found at http://www.garden-security.co.uk/

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