Allotments 4 All

 :)as others have said you MUST report any break ins and take LOTS of photos.

The police asked me to take photos as they were 'too busy', the chap who was breaking into and burning down our sheds eventually went on to worse crime, and the police came begging for my photos, ( the police found a diary at the chaps home, he logged all his crimes including burning down allotment sheds) and three years later he was taken to court./ shades x

We had mass break-ins a couple of times - nothing like that number of sheds though because many of the plots have thick hedges and stout locks on the gates. Every time it was a case of someone having brought a lorry or large van down. At the time a certain committee member was persistently the last person on the site at night, and wasn't bothering to lock the gate. Since we had a new committee, and made a point of keeping it locked, there haven't been any problems.

We had break-ins where they attempted to take the sheds!

The more recent ones have been kids - nothing serious taken, just damage and the odd can of beer gone AWOL.

Thats why we dont have sheds on our site !!!!! No shed no break ins !

My shed has been broken into, they stole a petrol strimmer and a roll of garden fleece. The fleece seemed an odd choice.

It's more annoying than anything.

the only vandles ive had up my lotty is slugs and pigeons
but then again im a night owl

6 sheds broken into last thursday night, nothing stolen, but everything trashed inside. several broken forks, probably broken by trying to break into next shed!! police visited, tried to find fingerprints, no success  >:(

   So sorry, this so sad --  you must be devaststed.

   How can this sort of vandalism be resolved  --  not so long ago we were in fear

   of being fined for dropping litter !       :-\

    What's the answer ?

    floss xxx

So sorry Tony.  Going through our current crisis, I know how you feel.

We had a break in and a lot of sheds were vandalised trying to get the padlocks off.

The stupid thing was, one shed had no lock, it just had a twist clip.

They actually got their crow bar on the hinge side to rip it open.

One actual theft. A pair of size 9 Wellies.

Since nothing else was taken from any shed (some expensive stuff in some too) all we can think of was that some one needed wellies for some reason and that was the only pair that fitted.

we got given a couple of names of likely suspects, these have been passed on to the plod, let's see if they can do anything?

After our fire and break-ins I reported my shed break-in and theft separately.  Police came for a look, took a statement and fingerprints.  Got a letter a week later saying the case is closed.   >:(

I have serious doubts about whether the plod actually want to catch the criminals?? if they did catch them, the crime figures would fall, along with their budget.!!

;)

Some one provided the police with photos of the ones who came into ours last summer.

They had been taken from a distance but were blown up to be identifiable to any one who knew the individuals.


Plod phoned the local crime prevention person who also has copies to ask if he still had them last week. Wonder where the first lot were filed?

Tonybloke

It is not a question of whether the Police "want" to catch these grotbags but it isi proving that they did it!

This takes form filling to the "enth" degree and whilst we do not like it I that is how it is!

PurpleHeather - It is all very well having a picture of someone up at the lotties - even walking into a shed - but how do you prove that "they" are the people that broke into it/stole anything.  Maybe this particular "vandal" has been caught doing something else that will tie him into your break ins as well.  Don't knock policemen - just for their job - my son is a detective in Bristol and does as much as he can to put away some of our nasties - and believe me there are far worse things happening in this country apart from the very annoying shed breaking and so on.  Unfortunately it is a sign of the times.

Old Bird

::)

Sorry to hear your news Tone lets hope the old bill get their fingers out.  :-\    ;D ;D ;D

Somehow I'm relieved to see that we're all in the same boat here. Up until this year we had the occasional visit where all the locks were broken but nothing taken.

This year we have had a spate of thefts by gardeners. We've lost seeds, greenhouse glass, seed potatoes and the good quality hand tools. Yes I did say greenhouse glass, they unclipped the sheets they needed, and left the clips.

When we stared losing tools, I rang the police and got told that each person needed to report the theft individually. Then I spoke to the local station, and could report the thefts en bloc, giving the details for each plot holder who's had a theft.The police then contacted them, visited site, and I've had calls from the CPO and community police as well.

You will need to get permission from your plotholders to pass on their details (data protection and all that) but I think you can write that into the rules with an opt out clause.

Old bird, if they keen on catching them, why, when my mate had intruders on his roof,which he reported, did they turn up with all their sirens a wailing?? to give the burglars warning of their approach, Perhaps?? (they had fled when they got there, surprise, surprise) >:(
I'm sorry to be negative about our police force, I wish I could be proud of them, but only speak as I find. they more interested in traffic issues, than burglaries!!
if you have a car smash, 3 or 4 coppers appear, if you have a burglary, maybe 1 turn up 2morra!!
while they busy running around shooting innocent people in the head, we getting burgled!!

we don't lock our shed as it seems to attract people who think you have something worth nicking, if they want a hoe that badly then whats a few quid to a broken door or worse, your shed totally wrecked as has happened on our site b4.

Hi

I see people paying lots of money for padlocks, I paid 4.99 for mine, my shed is locked, but if they break in cut the lock off then I won't have lost much money, padlock wise!

At work I quite often have to break into places most locked with padlocks (no I am not a burgular) but if the keys get lost wich they seem to alot of the time.  No matter what padlock, it hasn't defeated me yet, and what you bolt the padlock to, the clasp, is held on with what three or 4 screwes, and the wood it is fastened to?  Also most sheds are of simple construction, so if they want to get in they can, either through the roof or the wall etc.

My lock is to deter other plot holders borrowing things while I am away, I have been told there a few that do borrow without asking!

Cheers

Dave