Thursday, February 25, 2010

Neighbours Watched Garden Furniture Get Stolen In Broad Daylight!

It’s not often garden furniture makes the news but, just the other day, an entire set was stolen in broad daylight from a garden in Weymouth – around the Lanehouse Rocks area. It wasn’t a simple operation either; the thief stole a large wooden table and two benches from a front garden! Anybody who has any dealings within the industry knows just how exceptionally heavy decent-quality wood garden furniture is – it must have taken a significant amount of time to nick!
As awful as it is that a 68-year-old has had their garden furniture stolen, I feel the worst part about the whole tale is how police came to discover the details of the crime. According to sources, the neighbours of the elderly victim “saw a heavy-set man…lift the table and chairs over the wall and load them into his van”. That’s right; they SAW the man stealing the furniture…and did nothing! Aparently they thought it was “in connection with building work at the property”. How much more English can you get than that? A large man pulls up in a white van, carries an entire set of garden furniture over the wall and witnesses don’t want to bother him to ask why!
The neighbours went on to say “It’s stealing, however you look at it, in broad daylight. People should be able to leave things in their own front gardens.” Yes, you’re right! People should feel safe to leave their things in the front garden and assume their neighbours won’t sit back and watch as men in white vans pull up and steal it all in broad daylight!

(Reproduced from "Garden Furniture", 24th Feb)

GARDIEN Tip: Use Property Marking on all items of any reasonable value - it is a very cheap method of helping the Police return items to their rightful owner. See http://www.garden-security.co.uk/SelectaMark-Property-Marking.aspx

Garden and landscaping equipment list of stolen items

Garden machinery, landscaping equipment and small buildings tool theft is a growing and expensive menace for small businesses and home owners.
Much of the equipment that is stolen is not insured and can leave owners with an unwanted bill to have the items replaced; the recession has made the situation worse as criminals target vans, sheds and garages in search of equipment that can later be sold on the black market.
It's a massive problem and I hope Landscape Juice can do its part in trying to cut down these crimes. This isn't just a financial thing...theft affects peoples lives too.

(Reproduced from Landscape Juice, 25th Feb)

GARDIEN Tip: Protect your sheds and garages by following our advice at http://www.garden-security.co.uk/shed-outbuilding-security.aspx

Crime Report from Battle, Sussex

A MOTORBIKE was stolen from an unlocked shed in Bodiam Road, Bodiam, on February 16. The Suzuki DRZ125, which was also not locked, was taken between 7.30am on February 8 and 10am on February 16


THIEVES stole heating oil from a tank in the front garden of a property in Borders Lane, Etchingham. Police believe a lorry or truck pulled up nearby and drained the oil out through a pipe. The theft happened between 11am on February 9 and 10am the next day.


(Reproduced from Bexhill-on-Sea Observer 24th Feb)


GARDIEN Tip: Motorbikes are too valuable to leave unprotected and any tank full of heating oil should have a strong padlock fitted (preferably with an inbuilt alarm). See the advice at http://www.garden-security.co.uk/Steel-Storage-Unit.aspx and http://www.garden-security.co.uk/shed-alarm-padlock.aspx


Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Crime spree caused by drugs, court told

A man embarked on a crime spree after taking prescription drugs.
Nicholas Jackson broke into two garden sheds and two cars within a few days, Durham Crown Court heard. Prosecutor Jane Mitford said Jackson took golf clubs from a garden shed in Peterlee and a push bike from a rear yard. "The clubs belonged to the house owner's son," she added. "The young man enjoyed his golf and was upset to think someone could steal his equipment. "The bike belonged to a student, who said it was his only means of travel. "A few days later, Jackson broke into two cars within the space of a few hours. "He took a sub-woofer speaker box and CDs from a Citroen Saxo, and CDs valued at £200 from a Peugeot 106. "Police found most of the stolen property in his house, and he was unable to say why he had acted as he did." Jackson, 35, of Rosedale Terrace, Horden, admitted three offences of theft and one of burglary, all in September last year. Stephen Constantine, defending, said: "Mr Jackson has previous convictions for dishonesty, but they were some time ago. "This was low-level offending triggered by his reliance on prescription drugs, which caused a loss of self-control. "He is no longer on these drugs, so there is a reasonable expectation he will not offend again." The Recorder, Mr Edward Bindloss, sentenced Jackson to a 12-month community order.

(Reproduced from the Sunderland Echo, 17th Feb)

Gardien Tip: As so often, the garden shed and a bike were easy targets. See the free advice re prevention at http://www.garden-security.co.uk/shed-security-print.htm and http://www.garden-security.co.uk/bike-security-print.htm

WALTHAM ABBEY: Burglars break in using spade

MORE than £2,900 worth of possessions were stolen from a Waltham Abbey house after burglars broke in using a garden spade.
An automatic Tag Heuer watch, an iPod and a white Sony laptop were all stolen from the home in Little Street at around 10pm last night (Sunday February 14).
The thieves, believed to be three men, also caused around £300 worth of damage by forcing their way through a back door using the garden implement, which they had found in a shed nearby.
Epping Forest crime reduction officer Tony Ellis said: "People should be careful to make sure that they secure items that could be used to force entry into their home in this way."

(Reproduced from East London and West Essex Guardian Feb 15th)

GARDIEN Tip: The garden shed is the number one target for opportunist and professional thieves. See the free advice on protecting your shed at http://www.garden-security.co.uk/shed-security-print.htm

Friday, February 12, 2010

Don't skimp on shed security, say police

MANY people in South Tyneside are being warned not to make life easy for thieves.
Police say thousands of pounds-worth of sports equipment, tools and bicycles are being stored in garden sheds and garages with inadequate locks. There have been 258 break-ins to garden sheds, garages or back yards since last April and most, say police, had inadequate locks or people simply failed to lock them at all. Although the previous year's figure was 429 burglaries, residents are being warned to give sheds and garages a security overhaul. They also want people to think about the goods they leave in garden sheds, because many of the items stolen cost more than the shed itself.
In recent burglaries, golf clubs and fishing equipment, worth hundreds of pounds, have been stolen . Bikes and tools are also favourite targets for thieves. Neighbourhood Inspector, Peter Sutton, said: "Burglaries to garden sheds and garages have fallen dramatically in the past year – with 171 less crimes reported to police. "But, despite our repeated appeals, we are still seeing garden sheds with inadaquate security and, in some cases, none at all. "Yet owners are keeping high-powered, often very valuable, tools and other expensive items inside, believing they will be safe. "Criminals like to target properties with the minimum of fuss so an unlocked garage, an open shed window or an ill-fitting lock are an open invitation to any passing thief."
He said that taking heed of simple crime prevention advice will limit people's chances of becoming a victim. Other advice includes marking all property with the owner's name, postcode and house number to make it harder for thieves to sell on and to chain bikes together or to a secure point.

(Reproduced from The Shields Gazette, Feb 11th)

Gardien Tip: All the above is sound advice. More advice and product solutions can be found at www.garden-security.co.uk

Skelmersdale Crime File

OLD SKEM: Two mountain bikes were stolen from a shed on Oak Crescent overnight last Friday (February 5).
A wooden gate to the back garden of the house was unbolted and the padlock on the shed was forced open.
The bikes taken were a Shogun Grind adult mountain speed bike
in red with 26 inch wheels and 21 gears.
The second bike was an adult Sarisson Raw Trial Slalem with a flat frame in silver with 26 inch wheels and 21 gears.

(Reproduced from the Ormskirk & Skelmersdale Advertiser, Feb 11th)

Gardien Tip: See the free advice on Shed and Bike Security available at http://www.garden-security.co.uk/shed-security-print.htm and http://www.garden-security.co.uk/shed-security-print.htm

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Crime Round-up - South Bucks

The following crimes have also been reported in south Buckinghamshire:
Between 8pm on Sunday and 10am on Monday offenders gained entry to a garden shed at a premise in Fairview Lane, Flackwell Heath, by forcing the lock, and stole a Gents, Red and Black coloured Mountain bike.

Between February 2 and February 5, offenders gained entry to a garden shed at a premise in Robinson Close, High Wycombe, by forcing the lock, and stole two hedge trimmers.

If you have any information which may assist officers dealing with these crimes, please call 0845 8 505 505. Alternatively, if you do not wish to give your details, you can call Crimestoppers anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

(Reproduced from Bucks Free Press Feb 11th)

Gardien Tip: Follow the free advice on Shed Security available at http://www.garden-security.co.uk/shed-security-print.htm

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Burnley crime file

A KAWASAKI off-road motorbike was stolen when thieves broke into a garage in Heather Bank, Burnley. The 85cc green and black bike is worth £600.

THREE mountain bikes were stolen from a garden shed in Bentham Avenue, Burnley. Thieves escaped with a black and silver Mongoose bike worth £200. It has the serial number HAWPL181522. They also stole an adult's black mountain bike, valued at £150, and a child's red mountain bike worth £100

(Reproduced from the Burnley Express, Feb 10th)

Gardien Tip: Bike theft is still on the increase - see our advice at http://www.garden-security.co.uk/bike-security-print.htm