Grr, bleedin thievin b'stards!

[SueA]

Sorry to hear about the theft Mrs. D., Draper do some nice long handled tools in carbon steel from around £10 & in stainless steel from around £20.
Draper Tools - Garden Forks and Spades
Lots of people I know won't keep their tools in their allotment sheds but take them home & leave the shed door unlocked so thieves can see there's nothing in there but that sort of defeats the purpose of having a shed doesn't it. Don't suppose there's any kind of insurance on the site is there or maybe you could lobby for extra security?

[Hilary B]

Marking things is definitely the way to go, and ideally by 'carving' name and postcode onto the wood of the handle, that way it can't be removed or hidden without it being obvious that it was tampered with.
A couple of years back most of the solar panels were nicked from our Spanish retreat. The remaining ones, and the replacements, now have identification engraved in the 'frames', as well as increased chain-and-lock security.
If you have D handled tools, perhaps using a bike locking chain to join them all together would be a deterent as well. It's not going to be easy finding someone to buy a bunch of chained together tools, and cutting the bike chain is at least as difficult!

[Two_Sheds]

If you have D handled tools, perhaps using a bike locking chain to join them all together would be a deterent as well

That's a really good idea - I've got a poundshop bike lock going spare, I'm going to start chaining my tools to the workbench (which is too wide to remove from the shed)

[womble]

I can't remember who it was, but someone had the idea of painting them all bright pink, that might help put someone off the idea of nicking them.

It would be a pain, but if I bought good ones to use, I would take them home every time, or find somewhere to hide them.

[Mrs Dobby]

Hi Guys, thanks for all the messages of support, got a new cooker today from work (yup, as Snadger said, I am a store manager for Halfords, just moved to a branch much closer to home with an easier commute and a great team, so I already had my eyes on that set), the £15 set that Halfords have been selling, came down to 12.75 with my staff discount, and Lee has ordered a stainless steel set (digging fork and digging spade) for himself off the net, free delivery and 2 for £30, so just gotta get myself a long handled fork now (we won a Spear and Jackson stainless steel digging spade at the Trafford Gardeners Evening, which we hadnt taken to the plot yet, so fortunately still have that!)

Think we are going to have to look at either bringing tools back and forth (which is a right pain) or perhaps make a hidden tools box inside one of the compost bins (which is still a pain, but less of a bind), but the most upsetting thing is the fact that its doubled our costings this year, we were looking at having a relatively cheap growing year this year (as we've done most of the hard landscaping and bought tools seeds compost etc) but now replacing the stolen gear will add about £100+ to the yearly costs, something we could do without! Ah well, nvm!

Hi HeadFry, the bees are doing really well, we're up to 6 hives now, did our winter inspections and Oxalyic Acid treatments yesterday, lots of bees in the hives and plenty of stores, so hopefully they will all come thru the winter in strong condition, ready for a good year of producing honey for us!

[Hilary B]

Do seriously consider using obvious and non-removeable markings. Few thieves will take what is well marked, because the buyers don't want to know.

[yoanbob]

sorry to hear this Suzanne, glad the bees are ok.
paint the next lot florescent pink.

[green thing]

I've got all my tools in a old metal school locker , screwed it to wall and floor of my shed from the inside
got it of ebay for £10.00

I had to put 2 hasp and staples one top one bottom which seems to have worked
they seem to have given up braking into my shed

[ginger ninger]

Scum...that's one of the words I'd use to describe people like that Mrs D. I hope they stab there self in the foot with the fork and cause blood poisoning. Why do some people think they're above the law and can do what ever they want without and come back???

[Snadger]

sorry to hear this Suzanne, glad the bees are ok.
paint the next lot florescent pink.

Maybe a hive left in the shed would have given the buggers a surprize!