Sunday, May 15, 2011

Garden ornament theft spate prompts Newcastle warning

A stone bench was among the items stolen Police have warned people to ensure their garden ornaments are photographed and marked after a series of thefts in the Newcastle area.
Since the beginning of April there have been about 10 incidents where such items - often unusual, large and heavy - have been taken.
The Walbottle, Callerton and Lemington areas have been targeted.
Stolen items include a stone bench, bird baths, garden planters, stone horses heads, and 6ft bronze lamp.
Police have said that it was likely those responsible had used a vehicle, and it was possible that the thefts were linked.
A Northumbria Police spokesman added: "The items are unusual and some are difficult to move, with most being stolen overnight.
"Some are very rare with only a few made, however, many are quite readily available to buy so even if we do recover some of the stolen property it may be difficult to return them to their rightful owners.
"I'd advise people to be wary about decorating their garden with expensive items.
"However, if residents do have items such as this which they want to keep in their garden, they should take photographs of it and ensure it is marked with their postcode so that if it is stolen and then recovered, we can return it."

(Reproduced from BBC News 14th May 2011)

Gardien Tip:  See our advice re the securing of Outdoor Items at http://www.garden-security.co.uk/garden-antiques-security.aspx

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