Police plea to weed out garden crimes
Friday 22nd April 2011, 11:29AM BST.
Police in Shropshire today urged green-fingered residents across the county to help the force weed out garden crime by stepping up shed and allotment security as the warm weather takes hold.
The new campaign is aiming to reduce the 1,500 shed burglaries which take place across the West Mercia Police force area each year. Officers said that many people take steps to protect their homes and the property inside them.
However, they said people leave valuable equipment in gardens and unsecured sheds, providing easy pickings for opportunist thieves.
Local policing officers in Market Drayton attended the town’s weekly street market this week, giving security advice and leaflets out from a stall to shoppers.
“There are several things people can do to improve the security of their gardens, sheds and allotments and make it much more difficult for thieves to get their hands on your things,” said Police Constable Tim Weaver, crime reduction manager for Shropshire.
“Although we live in a low crime area, thefts and burglaries do happen and we should all ensure we take steps to protect ourselves and our homes.”
Police have issued advice to shed and allotment users on how to improve security. These include fit a close-shackle padlock to the door and grilles or mesh to the windows.
Officers are also recommending people consider installing shed alarms.
They added that large items stored in the shed should be chained together, making it more difficult for a thief to carry away.
All items stored in a shed should be property marked and registered on Immobilise, the national property- marking website.
Gardeners are also being urged to look at “defensive planting” of prickly plants to protect gardens and property perimeters.
Good garden lighting to put off potential thieves is also recommended.
For more security advice visit www.westmercia.police.uk
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