SHED AND OUTBUILDING CRIME PREVENTION ADVICE - please read
Recently the rural have been targeted in a number of shed and garage breaks please make sure you sheds and equipment are secure.
Many people take a great deal of trouble in securing their home and property while at the same time leaving valuable gardening tools and cycles in a shed that is either unlocked or not maintained.
Garden crime is now becoming more and more common. Tools such as lawn mowers, strimmers, hedge cutters, power tools and likes are expensive items to replace and may incur in extra insurance premiums. This can also open invitation for thieves to use garden implements to break into you house or car.
High burglary rates from sheds indicate that they are not only easy to break into but there is a large market for the stolen contents such as chain saws, leaf blowers, hedge cutters etc. With this in mind consider if the property left inside would be better stored elsewhere.
Crime prevention advice
Place all tools and gardening equipment in locked sheds and garages. Often an offender will use your tools to break into your property.
Secure more expensive items, e.g. mowers, bikes to an anchor point within the shed or garage.
Mark all items with post code and record serial numbers, e.g. UV pens or forensic marking kits, i.e. Smart water; even consider painting pink spots on equipment this will deter a possible offender. Register the details for free on www.immobilise.com
Take photographs of items such as statues and garden furniture if they are unusual, for easy identification at a later date. Often the police will recover items and this will make it more identifiable for you.
Fit a shed alarm or alarmed padlocks. If there is a problem with electric supply there are cost effective battery powered alarms on the market.
Keep the outbuilding structure in good repair. Reinforce your shed from the inside by fixing additional panels to the main internal structure.
Consider covering windows with curtains, Perspex or fix strong heavy wire mesh, even a net curtain can deter casual viewing to obscure the view of the content
Consider external PIR lighting. Ensure the garden fence and hedging are in good repair between neighbouring properties and even put up a sign ‘BEWARE OF THE DOG’
Should you require a visit or further information please email joanna.cole@hampshire.pnn.police.uk or call 101 | 
