Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Anchor's away!

 
A five-foot ship’s anchor weighing three quarters of a tonne has been stolen from a front garden in Tealby.
Police in Market Rasen are appealing for information about the theft of the metal anchor, which happened between September 11 and 12.
They would like to hear from anyone who sees a newly installed anchor or knows of one for sale.
(Reproduced from Market Rasen Mail, 19th Sept)
Gardien Comment: Never assume that anything is too heavy to be targeted by criminals. Take sensible precautions to safeguard all items of monetary or sentimental value. Advice and quality security products can be viewed at www.garden-security.co.uk   

Friday, September 13, 2013

Green-fingered thief, 49, stole flowers to replant in his garden

He also stole plants from East Riding and Hull City Council floral displays, to replant them in his own garden. PC Andy White, of the Kirk Ella, Willerby and Anlaby Neighbourhood Policing Teams, said he had never heard of anything like it.

"When he was arrested he was asked if there were any plants that shouldn't be in his garden and he pulled out a box of plants," he said. "He must have dug up about half a dozen.
"He had a nice garden, but dozens of the plants had been stolen. We've investigated the theft of garden furniture and the odd garden ornament going missing, but this is the first time I've heard of plants taken like this."
Among the victims was a woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, who lived off Lowfield Road in Anlaby.
So incensed by the mysterious disappearance of plants from her garden on several occasions, she installed CCTV and caught Mail in the act.
She also put mousetraps around the garden to deter the thief.
PC White said: "He said the ones from the domestic address had died.
"He was stealing two or three plants at a time, usually from big displays in the hope a few missing plants wouldn't be missed and would go unnoticed.
"When we arrested him he was full of regret and admitted it was a stupid thing to do."
Mail pleaded guilty to six offences of the theft of flowers and one of attempted theft of flowers.
PC White said: "In one incident he was caught by the homeowner leaving in his car.
"Knowing he was spotted in the car, he brought the flowers back and left the plastic bag of flowers on the floor before apologising and driving off.
"We don't know why he targeted the house in Lowfield. Maybe it was the fact it was a nice display that could be seen from the road."
Ahead of the court case at Beverley Magistrates' Court earlier this week, Mail was warned not to be found in possession of plants or flowers.
At the case, on Wednesday, Mail also pleaded guilty to dishonestly receiving stolen goods – a Black and Decker strimmer, a Marine motors British seagull outboard motor and green metal diesel can and a Black and Decker strimmer and a Flymo lawn mower.
PC White said: "The CCTV images provided us with some good images and from putting them in the Mail, we had a lot of calls naming him."
Mail has not yet been sentenced
 
(reproduced from thisishullandeastriding.co.uk , Sept 13th)
 
Gardien Comment:  Proof positive that CCTV images can be good enough to catch a thief. See our CCTV devices at  http://www.garden-security.co.uk/garden-cctv.aspx

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Preventing Scrap Metal Theft

 


Local police in the area have set the theft of metal as one of their priorities. Whilst there are a number of genuine scrap collectors in Consett who provide a much needed service removing unwanted items from our homes and gardens, there are a number of people operating in the area in a less than acceptable manner. It is against the law for a scrap collector to take an item out of your garden or yard without getting permission first. This scrap metal theft has been on the increase in recent years as the price of scrap metal has been steadily on the rise.
The Police need your help to try and crack down on the illegal scrap metal collectors in the Consett area. If you see anyone acting suspiciously then you should inform the Police who can investigate the situation further if needs be. If you have any items in your garden which you value, you should take steps to ensure they are safe.
  • Ensure gates are locked so that access is difficult to an opportunist who may see items they are interested in.
  • Secure items including bikes with chains and locks.
  • Make a note of the serial numbers of items and store them in a safe place indoors.
  • Report any suspicious persons or vehicles to police at the time.
By following these steps, it is possible to ensure that you are storing your items outdoors in the safest manner possible. By taking a note of the serial number of the items it makes it much easier for the Police to find your property if it has been stolen.
If you have a garage or a shed it is also important to make sure these are properly secured. If someone has decided to have a look in your garden for scrap, they may well try to take a look in your shed and garage also.
REMEMBER, IF YOU SEE IT, REPORT IT. THE LOCAL POLICE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW
(Reproduced from  Consett Magazine 3rd Sept)
Gardien Comment: Metal theft continues to be a major problem. Lock away all portable metal items in a secure shed and use property marking on all large items
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