Police pride at anti-theft campaign

A police bid to crack down on thefts from outbuildings in Nantwich has been hailed a success.

Nantwich Neighbourhood Policing Unit (NPU) launched ‘Operation Gordonia’ in August after seeing an almost 40% rise in thefts of items including garden tools and lawn mowers during the two months previous.
Three months on and police say the number of thefts has reduced to ‘more realistic and expected levels’ after stepping up patrols and using both marked and unmarked vehicles.
As a result of police patrolling country lanes as part of Gordonia, 10 people were arrested on suspicion of drink driving.
Nantwich Inspector Dave Smithers said that there were 23 reported incidents of thefts from sheds or outbuildings, 16 in September and seven offences in October (as of October 29).
Items stolen during this period ranged from gardening tools, lawn mowers and metal to motorbikes and quad bikes.
“The number of incidents has reduced and we are trying to make sure it stays this way,” added Insp Smithers.
“We have maintained increased patrols in rural areas and we are giving it extra attention, looking out for any suspicious activity.”
Although there have been no arrests, police believe they are sending out a clear message to criminals – ‘not in our town’.
Residents are also being reminded to ensure their own crime prevention measures are in place and that their properties are not an ‘open invitation’ to criminals.
“As an off-shoot to this operation we have arrested about 10 people for drink driving,” said Insp Smithers.
Officers look out for drivers who are acting suspiciously – behaviour can include driving erratically and being parked up in a lay-by at night.
“Perhaps in rural areas people think they will get away with it but because we have additional patrols in that area they have been stopped. This is all making our roads safer, even though that’s not the specific aim of this operation,” he added.

(Reproduced from Crewe Chronicle, 31st Oct)

Gardien Comment:  See the article on Shed Security at http://www.garden-security.co.uk/shed-security-print.htm

Police investigating theft of garden urns from a property in Kirkby Lonsdale

       

POLICE are urgently investigating the theft of two vintage Grecian garden urns from a property in Kirkby Lonsdale.
The urns were taken from the front garden of a house at Fairbank, thought to be overnight on October 26 or into the morning of October 27.
They are described as concrete, very heavy and would have needed two people to have lifted them.
Police have confirmed that the urns were worth £500 in total.
If anybody has seen anyone acting suspicious in the area, please contact Cumbria Police on 101.

(Reproduced from The Westmorland Gazette, 28th Oct 2013)

Gardien Comment:  http://www.garden-security.co.uk/garden-antiques-security.aspx for advice and products to help protect garden antiques

Racing bikes stolen from garden shed

 

THREE bikes worth more than £1000 have been stolen from a garden shed.
The two racing bikes and a mountain bike were taken from a shed that was broken into in Denholm Drive, Musselburgh, sometime between Thursday night and the morning of Friday, October 17.
They include a black Chris Boardman racing bike worth £700, a white Carera racing bike worth £300 and a silver Raleigh mountain bike worth £150.
Anyone who has any information regarding the theft of these bikes should contact Police Scotland on 101, or make an anonymous report through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

(Reproduced from Edinburgh News 21st Oct)

Gardien Comment: See the article on Bike Security at http://www.garden-security.co.uk/bike-security-print.htm

Show budgies worth £60,000 stolen from garden aviary

            

THIEVES have stolen £60,000 worth of budgies in a raid at Nursling.

They broke into an aviary and took more than 350 show birds bred by national expert Michael Freeborn.

He believes the creatures – some as young as six months – will be smuggled abroad and sold.

Devastated Mr Freeborn, 74, discovered his prize collection of budgerigars had been taken yesterday morning when he went to check on them in their large cage less than 30ft from his bungalow.

He said it would have taken a gang of three or four thieves with a large net and a van to carry out the theft.

“The stud value of these birds is around £60,000 and they are irreplaceable," he said.

Even if I do get them back, which is very unlikely, they will probably be too traumatised to do anything with.

“When I went down to the aviary at 4.45am the outside security light didn’t come on and when I went to put the key in the lock, I realised the lock wasn’t there and the door had been jemmied open and all the birds were gone. I was devastated.”

Mr Freeborn, who is the founder of Freeborn Garages, began keeping budgerigars as pets when he was 14 years old and has won scores of trophies with his show birds over the years.

In 1963 he started breeding them himself and all the stolen birds were descendants of a pair that he bred from 50 years ago.

He was not sure exactly how many budgies were in the cage near his garden aviary but knows there were between 350 and 400.

Mr Freeborn, who is a member of the South Hampshire Budgerigar Club and a national judge with the Budgerigar Society, said he believed the gang escaped across nearby fields with the birds after removing them from the 26ft by 12ft aviary.

“It would have taken three or four people at least three hours to remove and take them to a van. It is possible they were stolen to order.

“But whoever stole them would have to cut all the distinctive rings off the birds and then nobody would buy them.

 “I think the gang’s aim is to get them abroad and sell them.

"The police are cracking down on this but there are some unscrupulous people out there who don’t care if they destroy people’s lives and hobbies.

There is a ban on all feathered livestock going abroad and people need a licence to export them from Britain.”

Hampshire police are investigating.

Asked whether it was possible the gang would take the birds overseas, a police spokesman said: “We couldn’t discount it but it’s not all that likely as they may lose a lot of the stock so it wouldn’t be that worthwhile to them.”

Anyone with information about the theft should contact Romsey police on 101.

(Reproduced from the Romsey Advertiser, 16th October)

Gardien Comment: Sadly we hear of too many thefts of animals and other livestock. If they are of significant value, due precautions need to be taken to protect them. For advice and products, visit www.garden-security.co.uk

Theft of horse statue from West Bilney garden (Norfolk)

Thieves broke into the back garden and an outbuilding at a property in West Bilney and stole a four foot bronze statue of a horse.
The incident happened at a house in Main Road early last week.
It was stolen some time between 8pm on Sunday, September 22, and 6.30pm on Tuesday, September 24.
The thieves entered the back garden of the property where they stole the statue before entering the outbuilding and stealing garden tools.
Police would like to speak to anyone who may have seen or heard anything suspicious in the area between the times stated.
Contact PC Scott Lammas at Hunstanton Police Station on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

(Reproduced from Lynn News, 1st Oct)

Gardien Comment: Once again a very heavy object has been removed and you should never under-estimate what can be stolen.  For advice go to http://www.garden-security.co.uk/garden-antiques-security.aspx

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   

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

A GREEN-FINGERED thief has admitted stealing dozens of plants from floral displays around the East Riding. Wayne Mail, 49, admitted casually strolling into an Anlaby garden before carefully digging up the plants and placing them in a plastic bag, before making off.

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