So upset

[allotmentlady]

Went up to my lottie to do some sowing and some evil moronic individual has broken into my shed.............broke into my friends hobby store and broke off the door.

Why do people do this?

Spent another 20.00 on hasps and padlocks.

[MrsC]

sorry to hear this allotment lady, makes me angry when people like that think they can just come in and destroy other peoples belongings, i always like to think 'what goes round comes round' lets hope so and see how they feel, take care x

[veg4681]

I know the feeling coz we've been there. Padlocks are totally useless coz determined thieves can still break them using tools. Imagine one that opens into a deep hole as soon as they enter and get trapped until the police arrives .

[rustylady]

Trouble is, if you have sturdy expensive padlocks the morons think you have something worth stealing so break in just to have a look. They don't even use screwdrivers or proper tools, just smash everything up. I don't leave anything valuable on my lottie, and my shed door is propped shut with a bit of wood so no-one has been tempted.

[Paul Wagland]

Sorry to hear that allotmentlady. Did you lose anything valuable? Other than the time and peace of mind of course...

[bluemoon]

Oh no, as if you haven't enough to contend with already. I can sympathize as many years ago, when we first started allotmenteering, our site was very vulnerable and we lost things just about every weekend. In the end we started buying second-hand tools from car-boot sales or the local free paper so that we didn't lose the good stuff, but there was always the nagging suspicion that what we were buying had been stolen from someone else's plot and that by buying them we were creating a market and the whole thing was self-perpetuating. Now the site is well fenced and much more secure although I'm sure a determined thief could gain access so we still keep all our tools at home and only leave there what we are prepared to lose. It's annoying, and can be frustrating when you didn't, for example, take a hoe along on a particular day and then find that you need one, but at least it means we dare have good quality tools.

[petal]

leave a savage dog in the shed next time. I don't bother with locks and only leave rubbish tools at the plot. paint your name all over them.

[piskieinboots]

rotten luck gal totally rotten - nasty sods!

[allotmentlady]

Painting my name on everything sounds a really good idea! Nothing was taken, thank fully but others didnt get off so lightly. It just makes u feel invaded. I am off up there in a bit, see if its ok after all night, was worrying last night. Maybe I will start sorting out the greenhouse.

Thanks for your messages, if it aint cars, its thieves, they say it comes in 3's, wonder whats going to be next?

[Headfry]

My poor allotmentlady, I feel for you. Such nasty people in this world.
I send big hugs, wish I could be there to help you.

[momol]

Sorry to hear that Allotmentlady. I just can't think of how sick these people are. They will get their equal share somehow someday! A big warm hug from us here.

[jackie j]

Oh poor you. I am thankful that as yet our allotment site doesn't seem to have much trouble with this sort of thing, maybe its because there is always some one around as we have rangers next door and a couple of people have chickens on their plots so pop in to check on them feed them etc.
We are however having some kids aged 8 -18 who are offenders or likely to be ( youth offending team ) having some land on the site to grow veg etc they will be supervised while they are there but it is worrying, if anything happens rightly or wrongly they will be accused.
Like some others have said we don't keep anything of value in the shed cheap tools cheap radio etc but its still not nice when it happens

[HeyWayne]

Sorry to hear your news allotmentlady, these people (and I use that term lightly) really cheese me off. No idea why they think they can simply take things that do not belong to them.

We don't have sheds on our allotment, and I guess it's this kind of thing that deters the administrators from allowing them. My tools come with me in the car (or over my shoulder if I'm only going for a bit of pottering) and leave with me when I finish, apart from a rake and watering cans.

I think big padlocks are indeed inticement, I guess the best advice would be to only leave "rubbish" tools in the shed.

Hope you recover soon.

[moggssue]

Oh no allotmentlady - lets at least hope that's all your bad luck for the year over with in one go. I get sooo angrrrrryyyyy about these yobs.

You take good care, sending lots of hugs across to you

[bluemoon]

We are however having some kids aged 8 -18 who are offenders or likely to be ( youth offending team ) having some land on the site to grow veg etc they will be supervised while they are there but it is worrying, if anything happens rightly or wrongly they will be accused.

We've had these schemes start twice on our site. I wouldn't worry, Jackie, they tend to run out of money long before they actually plant anything - although they do tend to leave rusting shipping containers around for the next tenant to deal with.