Allotments 4 All
General => News => Topic started by: Suffolklad on March 03, 2005, 19:24:32
-
My brand new chook house on the allotment was broken into last night ! They tried to get into the main shed by crowbaring the lock, then tried the run (for some obscure reason) and when they couldn't get in they attacked the shed by breaking boards off and smashing the windows.
Then they turned their attention to the new run, which was unlocked as the birds weren't yet allowed out into it. They cut the lock off the shed (which was only erected on Monday) and threw their feeders at my 9 week old light sussex babies and then smashed the window. The poor things had only been moved in the day before, so they had a baptism of fire !
The little gits (I'm sure it was teenagers) broke into more than a dozen sheds, tearing the doors off at least one of them, and as far as I'm aware didn't steal anything at all. There was a rotovator and a mountain bike stored in the next shed to mine, and they weren't touched. It was just sheer wanton vandalism, but why do they do it ? It was a bl**dy freezing cold night with driving rain and sleet, and they've gone out with a crowbar and bolt croppers, just to cause damage.
The only amazing thing is that they didn't harm my babies, although they were a bit traumatised. Three years ago somebody's birds were all used as footballs. My heart sank when I saw the padlock off, and I was afraid of what I would see, but the strange thing is they had torn a door off a shed and stuck it against my run door so the birds couldn't escape. Maybe they saw that they are babies and had a guilty conscience.
This is the one thing that worried me about chooks on the allotment - two legged predators. I'm trying to live the "Good Life" with self-sufficiency - I'd love to have the nice smalholding with an acre or two but can't afford it. The three allotments are supposed to be my substitute, but this is very very demoralising.
According to the field secretary it happens fairly regularly, always the same pattern - vandalism but no theft. It's like they are making the statement "We can get your stuff any time we want to".
Mike :'(
-
Mike
I feel truly sorry for you having posted an item recently about vandals.
You must report any event such as this however trivial (yours can hardly be described as trivial) to the Police...they will give you an obligatory 'incident number'
The most important thing is to report every crime to build up the statistics..three visits to our plot.. twentysix separate incidents logged doesn't make the Police crime figures look too good..we are getting more attention/help from them now.
Keep your chin up and don't let these 'people of doubtful parentage' get you down
Best wishes
Derek
-
Its bad but there are steps you can take. We ALWAYS report incidents to the police and get a crime number from them. We invited the local community pc to our annual general meeting. It gave people a chance to let off steam and he also gave us some good advice about security, shed alarms etc. We let him have a key to our site so he could walk round now and then.
If you can build links with local schools that also helps because kids can come and see what growing food is all about.
-
Oh Mike, what a terrible night for your plot, and your babies! I despair, I really do. I do not understand what goes through these peoples heads when they are destroying other peoples property. So glad your chooks are okay Mike.
-
It really sickens me to hear things like this, I live in awe of vandals just devastating my plot or shed, but pets and wildlife tears at my gut. You have my sympathy, so sorry to hear this.
Roy
-
Dear Mike,
I'm so sorry - this is really devastating. Not just the damage and the upset, but the thought that human beings exist who would do such a thing. What sort of people are they? Why don't they care? It really is frightening.
Thinking of you,
Sarah
-
Can't add anything to all that.
-
It sounds really horrible, Mike, and I'm not surprised it's left you feeling angry and upset. It seems to go with the territory a bit - so many people here have had similar experiences. Little consolation, I know, when you're faced with the mess of such wanton destructiveness.
I think the advice about reporting every last incident is really important, even if it feels futile at first. If the police start to get a picture that this is happening a lot then they're much more inclined to take more action.
Take care of yourself. I hope you feel more hopeful soon.
Clare
-
So, so sorry to hear this Mike,
i think the others have said it all, but I hope things improve for you.
Dawn
-
That's awful Mike, I wonder how they'd feel if someone trashed their stuff....
Hope things get sorted soon for you.
Louisa xx
-
Mike thats horrible! Its a small comfort they acrually protected your babies. Report everythiing! Good luck.
-
Little s*ds. The reason we were given for them not stealing anything, is that they can't get caught with it, vandalism isn't something you can prove unless you catch them red-handed.
-
I am so sorry for you. What disgusting little twerps these vandals are. Releaved that your chooks are alright.
Heldi x
-
cannot add anything to above, just wanted to put my sympathies in too. makes my blood boil. breathed a sigh of relief when i read your chickens were unscathed.
-
Thanks for all your kind wishes and advice. The Old Bill didn't really want to know, all I got to talk to was a civilian oik in the operations room, although their "Crime Prevention" officer has apparently been trying to get me all day today - no doubt to tell me how to spend loads of money on converting the place to fortress Chook City. I've already got a 6 ft steel fence round it - maybe I need the moat too !
I've taken a look at all the doors they *didn't* manage to get through, and they are all fitted with coach bolts through the hasp and staple into the door and the frame, plus through the hinges too - a point many people miss. You can have a wonderful bombproof padlock, but it's only as strong as the hasp and the hinges. I guess I have to board the windows, can't really see a secure way round it, it's a shame though cos I wanted to let some light in ! I may try a secure grille over clear plastic sheeting, although that wouldn't be very weatherproof.
The b******'s won't grind me down though. I took the rest of the youngsters over there today, and all of them were scampering around together in the run, their first taste of the great outdoors - 18 of them together was so lovely to watch. Shame it was so bl***dy cold though !
Mike
-
Razor wire, CCTV, electrify the fence, alarms, auto dye sprays .............but with no one to answer the alarms, no power or mains water, & being illegal............??
-
I guess it's gonna have to be the voodoo dolls and sticking pins in them then ;D
-
Mike :)
Can only echo the same sentiments and add my Sorry's!!
Maybe you should set Hagrid on the " Little Bugs"
-
:'(
-
I sympathise with you as I've suffered from yob attacks on my plot but on a slightly different tack..last Sunday night I watched a yob smash 2 windows on my neighbour's car, I recognised him told my neighbour and phoned the police...4 days later the local beat bobby turns up and tells me that nothing can be done unless there are 2 independant witnesses, very annoying for me because when my car was trashed a year ago there were at least 7 witnesses and nothing was done...I even photographed youngsters breaking into a neighbours house and the police didn't want to see the photographs! its all to do with figures and league tables, bring back the old-time coppers who had their own "special" ways of dealing with vandals.
-
I think that, armed with that kind of information/evidence, I would have gone to the local press and kicked up one hell of a stink. Whatever they may think, the Police are accountable to us. We don't live in a police state.......yet.
Mike
-
I tried that too but nothing was printed, it seems that some elements of the press live in the pockets of the police and vice versa.
-
A friend 2 plots away from me gave me 10 of his hens. About a month later vandals broke into my friend plot with dogs, About 100 hens and chicks were slaughtered you may have seen pics on yorkshire TV news. This is not the first time around hear, It makes you wonder what these sick b****rds get out of it or what you can do to stop it. Thank god my new hens kept quite
-
I got a job as a local press correspondent just for the reason that you're all talking about! No-one speaking up for the aggrieved! If no one is representing you at local level then do something about it! I complained about lack of local representation and was given the job ;D
-
Wardy
As you are another member of the 'Shire' do you take the Leicester Mercury?
There was a small feature last night (Saturday) relating to a local allotment site where vandals had set fire to several sheds destroying them and all contents.
This is why many allotment holders are reluctant to make too much of a fuss and go to press in case it gives some of the other idiots ideas. Many other plotholders do not now lock sheds so that it, hopefully, reduces any physical damage.
I still reckon a gibbet on site with a hanging skeleton would get a message through... then again maybe not
Derek
-
That's a valid point you make about the publicity re vandalism. Does the publicity given to these vandals make them worse? I'm not sure but there is a school of thought that says it does and that we ought not to publicise it. I am a member of an in bloom group and we have reported vandalism on several occasions and another member is very against us giving them any coverage at all so we are going to stop reporting it and see whether the situation improves. It's very difficult to know what to do for the best. We have had some positives, however, of publicity and that is from concerned residents and a nurseryman who have given us money for replacement plants. The nurseryman threw open his doors and gave us what we wanted to make up for the losses sustained by vandals. Vandals take many forms. Someone thought it would be funny to drive his lorry over one of our flowerbeds and reverse back and have another go for good measure. >:(
-
Derek
We have suffered shed break-ins on our plots (well, not me as I don't have one, sob) and the owners have started leaving sheds unlocked. They also leave tools out and about on their plots on the basis that if they leave stuff lying about that not everything will get stolen. Our Association tool shed got done over by the professionals and all the big machinery was pinched and taken away by lorry so it's not all down to vandals.
We are lucky (dare I tempt fate here) as we've no major problems with vandalism. There is a cemetery next door and they prefer to vandalise graves instead of allotments >:(
-
Hi Wardy
I have found the article I referred to....
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v712/Wigston/Alloptmentraid.jpg)
I have also been reading some interesting information today in a book I have.... I will be back later with some more information...hopefully useful
Regards
-
Hi again
I have an information sheet from The Allotments Regeneration Initiative the section marked theft reads as follows...
Theft like vandalism is usually carried out by a small number of people and happens in bouts. Act fast after the first incident occurs. Take these sensible measures so that the site is not an easy target for theft.
a) Sheds are not designed for secure storage. Do not leave valuables in them. Consider leaving the shed unlocked to minimise damage
b) Conceal tools. Possible hiding places : under shed floor, in a built-in secret compartment, in a bin liner in long grass or under a cardboard/black polythene sheet. Alternate where tools are hidden
c) Use old tools or deface new ones to reduce resale value. Painting all tools 'PINK' is remarkably effective and recommended by the Northumbria Police.
d) Encourage plotholders to etch or mark the site postcode on all tools. If you gate a spate of theft you may be able to trace it to a specific car boot sale and notify the Police.. Police may provide tye etching tool. A get together to do this can provide a morale boosting event.
e) If you must store valuable items in a shed then store them in a strong lockable box/cage or chain them to a metal ring fixed into concrete.
f) If you must lock the shed use non-return screws on all hiinges,coach bolts or strong pad bars and close shackle padlocks. Bare in mind that, in the case of a wooden shed the thief can just saw a hole or smash a window.
The notes continue by saying that sites without sheds are not such a target..remove the sheds.
They point out that setting traps are illegal
Maybe use a central purpose built vandal proof bunker..
I still reckon the gibbet would work...you only need one 'poor' little vandal to set an example ;)
Derek
ps. A couple of ideas to consider...
i) www.smarthingyer.com (should be 'smart water' one word)
ii) www.dgsecurity.co.uk
-
Hi all,
I really have no alternative to leaving things in my shed, even though its mostly stuff no-one else would want. Anything new is taken from its wrapper, coded and defaced so it can`t be sold as new.
I thought about getting one of these,
From Maplin
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Home.
Garge/Shed Alarm
Only £7.49 Half Price!
•Battery operated
•Digital control panel
•Three digit code operation
•Powerful 120dB siren Entry/exit delay
Code QS39N
Col
-
Mike,
sorry to hear about the vandals, we had the same on our plot a couple of years ago, they didnt take anything just through stuff out of the shed into my wildlife pond, one old gardener said if he catches them hes throwing them down the well, he fought in world war 2 so isnt bothered about the police.
-
Had an interesting chat on the lottie this morning. It turns out it wasn't the little gits that put the door against my run to keep the chooks in, but another allotment holder who was over there very early - sorting out his own chooks that had been set free. Thank God our resident foxes weren't about ! It also turns out that the vandalism was much more extensive than I thought - at least 20 sheds broken into. Letting chooks out is just pathetic. It's made me change my mind about how I run my chicken houses. At the moment the birds have free access to their runs at all times, the pop-holes are never closed. I think I am now going to have to go over last thing each day and shut them in, and make the houses very secure. It's not really a problem in the light evenings....but is gonna be a pain in the winter.
As to alarms, I have a couple already but don't use them as my plots are remote and nobody will hear them. My thoughts are that anybody breaking in will just take a hammer to the alarms. As I have them already though, I guess I might as well use them......one more deterent.
50,000 volts sounds much better though :o
Mike
-
Hi
Reading these posts yet again a thought has crossed my mind. There is an great deal of feeling here and we are all having a moan amongst ourselves.
We chat with others on the sites and without doubt would string the blighters up if given half the chance.
Perhaps we could organise a concerted protest (we create more noise which has to be heard) through this site the question then arises...
What is the best way to do it?
Who should be the recipient?
Derek
-
Difficult One ??? Derek Excellent Idea 8)
This theme must go[ National ] to make an Impact
Some one some where must be Accountable. ???
But where does the Buck Stop!! Where to Begin!! ???
MIke
-
You could set up plotwotch with all plotties taking it in turn to keep watch (visions of dad's army) :)
Our lotty association bloke is a retired chief inspector of police, reknown for acting first and asking questions later. I think that may be why we don't have a particular problem ;D
It must be horrible to have your plots vandalised and your animals come to harm and you could garrot the little b****s if you got hold of them. My local bloom group has tried to get the Probation Service to use offenders in the community on gardening, litter picking, clearing overgrown allotments, etc. This would make them put something back into the community they've wronged. We are told they don't do "demeaning" tasks. >:(
-
Has anyone ever used a webcam to keep watch
over an allotment ?
From a nearby house maybe?
Col
-
Good idea!
-
As a suggestion....a senior politician (? Home Secretary) after all isn't there an election soon?
Create a fuss Nationwide and failure to act becomes embarrassing.
1. Bombard him with e-mails
2. National press
With many plotholders being retired, politicians of all parties now realise that the 'grey vote' is important
Derek
-
Has anyone ever used a webcam to keep watch
over an allotment ?
From a nearby house maybe?
Col
That's not a bad idea, trouble is as far as I am aware there are no lottie holders that over look us. ???
The idea is great because we could all look out for each other and send emails to alert, I wonder if it has been tried yet, I know of a guy that has a webcam watching over his Koi Carp pond 8)
-
Has anyone ever used a webcam to keep watch
over an allotment ? From a nearby house maybe?
Er.......which nearby houses would these be ?
My plots are remote....but thats what I like about them.
Mike
-
Some years ago I remember reading an article in the Yorkshire Post about an elderly allotment holder taking the law into his own hands, and keeping a night watch on his plot, after many break ins, and no help from the police. Well one night he was in his shed armed with a 410 shot gun when someone broke in, and got a nasty shock, and some pellets in the backside,. The police were very interested then, and you guessed it, arrested the old chap, and put him through all the stress of a court trial, and eventually fined him quite a large sum. The really nice thing that happened next was that thousands of pounds came rolling in from members of the public who sympathised with him, and he replaced all his old tools with brand new stuff, and had a nice holiday too!
There are some nice people left, and we need to stick together.
Brian
-
I was thinking about the power supply for a pc and webcam that would need a friendly neighbour. Or in some situations this may not be a problem. I know people who like to keep a cam pointing at their cars.
Col
-
With the help of your Association !!
Why not try the
National Association of Allotement and Leisure Gardeners
National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners
NSALG. Hope that this might Help
Mike
-
Mike
I am attending a user group meeting this morning where this issue will certainly be raised...yet again.
Our particular plot has only two houses anywhere near the site and therefore the web-cam idea wouldn't be a viable option.
I will contact Paul Howgill of NASLG he is the area secretary and works out of Leicester, lets see what he has to say.
Thanks for your suggestions
Derek
-
My allotment is next to a builder's house and he has the fiercest dog in the world so I'm hoping not to get any problems with any vandals. Oooer I hope that fence holds. It's a GSD and it's as angry as hell (not sure why). They had a second guard dog and I'd not seen it for a bit so asked where it was. I was told the first dog had killed it! :o :o Still, no vandals though ;D
-
We very rarely have vandals/break ins but had two recently. I decided to investigate improvements to security and found, unsurprisingly, that anything effective is prohibitively expensive.
Options - reactive lighting. Installing mains electricity starts at about £600 befoe you've run cable or installed anything but a metre.
PIR beams without mains electricity - Costs about £800 to cover a 100 yd line. You'd have to power it by car battery or solar bpanel and attachn to a mobile phone to alert someone if tripped.
Improving fencing is a waste of time. Given half an hour, prison grade welded mesh fencing is no obstacle ( according to crime prevention officer ).
You could alarm your own shed ( again with a car battery and mobile phone ) at a reasonable cost, but multiplied by all plots it becomes a ludicrous amount of money.
The only real answer we've come up with is to get electricity installed with reactive lights and to organise thorn hedging on the perimetre where possible. Natural defences are probably the best as we never seem to get broken into where there's thorn or blackberry hedging.
-
.
-
I like it ;D ;D
-
Brilliant I thought and so Typical ;)
Well done 8)