Thieves about in West Midlands

[worldor]

Beware anyone who has a plot close to the West Midlands. We were raided last night and even our big metal container sheds were emptied of rotavators and tools etc. All the sheds were ransacked and good tools taken. Then to top it off they had to wreck tunnels and structures. Mindless.

[worldor]

[Squash64]

I'm really sorry to hear that.  Whereabouts are you?  I'm in Perry Barr, Birmingham.  Hope it isn't our turn next.  :(

[Robert_Brenchley]

Thieves are always about. How did they get onto your site? Under the previous regime, the gate to ours used to get left open by a certain committee member, and as a result we had prostitutes bringing clients onto the site, and the odd visit from thieves with a lorry (we saw the tyre marks) who broke into a series of plots and took anything saleable. We've had less trouble since we started insisting on the gate being kept locked, and when things have happened, it's probably been internal.

[blackcountrysteve]

Beware anyone who has a plot close to the West Midlands. We were raided last night and even our big metal container sheds were emptied of rotavators and tools etc. All the sheds were ransacked and good tools taken. Then to top it off they had to wreck tunnels and structures. Mindless.

heartbreaking....where abouts is your plot ?

[Baccy Man]

Not just allotments, someone I know in Gravelly Hill had his garden shed broken into the other day all tools inc strimmer, chainsaw, and hedge trimmer were taken.

[Mr Smith]

We are in a similar situation on our allotments with a couple of allotment holders that cannot be bothered about closing and locking the gates behind them, there is a notice on the gate which says 'Keep Gates Shut', if it persists again this year I will be making the council aware again about the situation and hold them responsible if any of my equipment goes walkies, 

[worldor]

We are in Quarry Bank DY5. The gates were locked and our stuff in big metal container shed with hefty padlocks.

[Robert_Brenchley]

That has to have been professionals then. Like I say, we've had it, but not since we started locking the gate.

[markp2511]

I arrived at our site at 6am this morning to find a ladder propped up against the wire fence - obviously used to scale the fence and avoid the brambles.  I had a quick look around our side of the site, but couldn't see any obvious damage or signs of theft.  The ladder in question is left out in the access road by one of the residents 24/7.  I think I'm going to have to have a word.

On a non specific note, don't you just hate the theiving scum who think they have a god given right to take what they want?

[Kea]

We had this happen just before Christmas, our site is not fenced just a gate. I lost a droughtbuster siphon out of my shed, shed broken in this case they seemed to be after fuel as those with machinery e.g. rotovators had fuel taken...I guess that's why my siphon was taken.
Why they have to do the vandalism as well I don't know as people had windows broken as well as the doors pulled off sheds.

[pookienoodle]

I sometimes wonder if the mindless destruction that comes with the theft is to try and throw the scent off.
Police seem less likely to persue vandals than professional theives.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Most likely they're vandals who moved on to other stuff, but still like vandalising.

[Le-y]

our allotments dont have a gate or fence at all!

there are no fences or paths between plots.

i admit  that i was quite surprised to see that people leave their tools, wheelbarrows and childrens toys out just scattered on the plot not locked away in a shed.

but then its so out of the way and really hard to distinguish from the outside it took me driving past 6 times when i tried to find it the first time.

still, i haven't left anything down there that i'd need to pay to replace yet because i cant afford to replace anything LOL

I'm sorry that yours was broken into that is really heartbreaking

[allaboutliverpool]

It is very important for any plotholder to report theft etc to the police as it will make a mess of their crime statistics and they will tend to keep a closer eye on things!