Topic: thieves

[diggerrick]

hi,anyone out there got any legal ideas to keep thieves off of our allotments?we have been robbed 3 times in the last 3 months,the site is surrounded by a pallistade fence with anti vandal paint on the top and some parts have been planted with hawthawn hedge,they have taken wheelbarrows,water butts,compost and loads of other items, any ideas please >:( >:( >:(

[manicscousers]

Could it be an ex plot holder with keys/combinations, or an inside job?

[Robert_Brenchley]

We've had similar experiences, and suspect an inside job.

[tog]

hi,anyone out there got any legal ideas to keep thieves off of our allotments?we have been robbed 3 times in the last 3 months,the site is surrounded by a pallistade fence with anti vandal paint on the top and some parts have been planted with hawthawn hedge,they have taken wheelbarrows,water butts,compost and loads of other items, any ideas please >:( >:( >:(

Have you reported to the police?
Apart from very tall fences or plot holders keeping guard, sorry, that's all I can suggest.

[tonybloke]

Could it be an ex plot holder with keys/combinations, or an inside job?

I agree with manics, our association changed all the locks this yr, with new security keys ( only the association can get them cut)

[taurus]

Looking at the list of items taken, would say this as the hallmarks of an inside job.  Since the council put in new gates and locks that only they can get cut this sort of thing as ceased on our site.  If your keys/locks have not been change in a while I would make this the 1st job on the list.  As some one else mentioned get the police involved.  Could they do a spot check now and again.  This the reason I don't leave anything of value on the site.  A lot of my tools have been bought as presents, so its the sentimental value as much as the cost of replacements.  (Its one of those times when chopping off of fingers when the theives are court seems not abad idea.)

[realfood]

All tools, etc., should be marked in some way eg. the number of the plot in paint or indelible ink, which should make it easier to see if it is an inside job.

[Stedic]

We had a break in on Monday night, they went through about 25-30 sheds in total.

Interestingly, they didn't take much and seemed only to break into the sheds of people who had rotavators etc which made me wonder if it was a bit of an inside job.  They didn't take much in the way of tools, it was the damage they did breaking in that caused the problems.

It made me think though that its almost impossible to secure any allotment site, so maybe the solution to our problems is to stop making it worth the thieves while - it's a pipe dream but if we could all stop leaving tools, particularly expensive ones, in our sheds then they might not bother.

That being said, mine is full of stuff at the moment.

[tog]

We had a break in on Monday night, they went through about 25-30 sheds in total.

Interestingly, they didn't take much and seemed only to break into the sheds of people who had rotavators etc which made me wonder if it was a bit of an inside job.  They didn't take much in the way of tools, it was the damage they did breaking in that caused the problems.

It made me think though that its almost impossible to secure any allotment site, so maybe the solution to our problems is to stop making it worth the thieves while - it's a pipe dream but if we could all stop leaving tools, particularly expensive ones, in our sheds then they might not bother.

That being said, mine is full of stuff at the moment.

If they only took rotavators Etc then they have probably been sold at a boot fair or thru classified.
If I was a thief I wouldn't take stuff to use on my own plot, that's the way to get caught!

I only leave stuff on my plot that is of very little value.

[djbrenton]

I did have an idea once for advertising for broken garden equipment. Then every plot could have a non-working lawn mower, strimmer and rotavator just waiting for the light fingered one to steal. Once they'd stolen enough duff equipment they might give up.

[Kleftiwallah]

I did have an idea once for advertising for broken garden equipment. Then every plot could have a non-working lawn mower, strimmer and rotavator just waiting for the light fingered one to steal. Once they'd stolen enough duff equipment they might give up.

Now that kind of lateral thinking is brilliant!  It is about Autumn time when these dross come calling, just as it is getting dark.  My motto is never bring anything down to the allotment you cannot afford to lose.   Cheers,   Tony.

[Debenvalley]

The tools I leave in my shed I spray with patches of brightly coloured paint to try make them both undesirable and easy to indentify as mine.  I doubt anyone would want to nick a pink spade !!

It also helps me to spot the tools I've left it laying on the ground before I head off home...