Thursday, January 29, 2009

Shed thefts in Hertfordshire

Police are warning Watford, Three Rivers and Dacorum residents to get "sheducated" after a rise in the number of burglaries carried out with the victims' own tools.

Garden sheds are being targeted by thieves who are making off with expensive equipment, often using the equipment to break into the person's home.

Police are advising people to secure their sheds more securely, chain up ladders and fit alarms if necessary, to avoid being caught out.

Crime Reduction Officer Dave Mance said: “Burglars generally don’t like to carry tools with them that they could use to break into someone’s home in case they get stopped by police.

"They will target places that make it easy for them – often choosing the homes that have been left insecure, with doors unlocked or windows left open, but also, as our crime reports are showing, where the householder has given them a helping hand by leaving something in the garden that they can use to gain entry.

“Burglars have used a trowel, garden fork, shears and a shovel to break in.”

“So far we know about five offences like this across the county in the past four weeks but we can ensure there are no more if people follow our advice."

Reproduced from the Watford Observer

Sunday, January 4, 2009

South Manchester garden thefts

Two gardens in the Gatley suburb of Manchester have suffered from garden thefts on January 2nd. Two well established bay trees in their pots were removed from one home and the entire contents of a garden shed were taken from another house in the same vicinity. Gardien are constantly warning home-owners to take some simple precautions to guard against these type of thefts, which offer thieves an easy opportunity to make some ready cash. Anyone with any information should contact Crimestoppers on 0800-555111