Just want to vent!

[stuffys]

I got to my allotment this morning to find out that my lock had been broken. Looks like nothing was stolen. Just needed to vent...

[stuffys]

Photo of the lovely surprise this morning.

[happyhumph]

Well that's ****** annoying! Glad nothing appears to have been stolen.

[Cadalot]

Welcome to the club, we are getting hit every couple of days, and they set fire to a polytunnel. You can buy an internal lock for around £3 - £5 off ebay. 110bd Alarm for less than a £10. See how many others have been done and you can call 101 and meet a police officer who will record the break-in, and will pass the information down to the Park Police and local community police and for a while they will set up more frequent patrols around the area.

Our ongoing interaction with the Police is being recorded on my diary/blog

Will you replace the lock or just leave it so they can gain entry look and just leave the door open on their exit in the future? There is a Poll here http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...eds_91885.html

[stuffys]

Welcome to the club, we are getting hit every couple of days, and they set fire to a polytunnel. You can buy an internal lock for around £3 - £5 off ebay. 110bd Alarm for less than a £10. See how many others have been done and you can call 101 and meet a police officer who will record the break-in, and will pass the information down to the Park Police and local community police and for a while they will set up more frequent patrols around the area.

Our ongoing interaction with the Police is being recorded on my diary/blog

Will you replace the lock or just leave it so they can gain entry look and just leave the door open on their exit in the future? There is a Poll here http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...eds_91885.html

Looks like I was the only one broken into. I only recently got the plot and have been doing a lot of work using powers tools, but I always take them home. The allotments have at least a 10 foot fence with a security key locked door. Not sure to replace lock or just leave it? Like the idea of the alarm but the plots are in a country park with no residents near by. They are build flats nearby so might wait and install alarm when someone might hear it.

[Bigmallly]

Looks like I was the only one broken into. I only recently got the plot and have been doing a lot of work using powers tools, but I always take them home. The allotments have at least a 10 foot fence with a security key locked

Sounds like an inside jobby to me.

[JMCKG]

Agree looks like a inside job if fenced in and locked. Another possibility is someone sleeping rough, we have had that on our allotments in the past, no damage or harm done.

[Speed Gardener]

I recently put up a shed on my plot, but didn't bother with a lock, just a swivelling piece of wood to keep the door closed. Having seen break ins on locked sheds (with nothing valuable inside), I think it's better to let whoever take a look and see there's nothing valuable than to have them break in and find out.
I know it sucks that you have to do this, but you can't be there all the time so it's a case of minimising the aggravation to you..

[alldigging]

Needs reporting to the site secretary AND the police.
Get a reference number for it.

Allotment near us had 14 sheds done the other night. Worst night this year but escalating in terms of number and damage.
People need to report the breakins as the police won't accept the committee officer's reports of them.

If they are all reported it shows there's something worth keeping an eye on - the odd night patrol etc.

[Snadger]

I agree break ins are best reported to the Secretary and Police but...........................

I just need to point out that we allotment Secretaries do this voluntarily without payment.One of our previous Secretaries resigned from their post because of this. The police were at her door regularily along with the firearms unit as some air rifles had been stolen from huts. They were using her as a go between, either asking more questions or giving updates. The neighbours started to talk and she decided, rightly enough, that she didn't need the hassle.

[Baldy]

I've seen that episode of Bykers Grove Snadge, so I know where your coming from!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FztmxxliSmc

(Yes yes it was paintballing, but I'm a little worried about my paintballing gear in my GH)

[Cadalot]

Funny I met our local community copper on our site today and here was his advice.

Hi Alan, in response to our conversation today, please find the following guidance when reporting incidents to police.

• If an offence IS BEING committed on your allotment, please report it on 999.
• If an offence HAS BEEN committed on your allotment, please report it on 101.
• All offences should be reported as soon as possible. This maximises the window for evidence to be gained.
• Any items which have been interfered with should remain untouched. Clean smooth/shiny surfaces are the best to obtain fingerprints from. Please keep these items to one side and preserve if possible by covering the item.

Again as spoken about earlier, If you notice another plot holders shed has been broken into, inform them and advise them to report it. They should attend the plot to establish what has been taken/damaged if anything. Also, please email me so we are aware. If the plot holder decides not to report it then at least we will know about it.

There are no right or wrong answers when it comes to security, it's all personal preference and what works for one person or area may not necessarily work for another. But I would say the more measures that are put in place the better. I have attached some official guidance for you to disseminate to other plot holders.

The guidance is about shed and garage security is attached below

Following our recent break-ins we (the allotment committee) have gathered plot holders Plot Numbers, first and last names, email addresses and mobile numbers and have set up a closed Facebook group to assist in community building and dissemination of information re the allotment. A simple distribution group on Outlook allows us to send mailshots, News Letters and Break-in Alerts.

The guidance above actually puts the responsibility on the individual plot holder to report their break-in and the amount of work and ear bending of the committee members will ultimately be reduced.

[stuffys]

Wee update.

Committee and police all informed and nothing really they can do. I have purchased and fitted a stronger hasp lock and padlock https://www.amazon.co.uk/ABUS-High-S.../dp/B000Y8I280 not used the padlock yet as all the old guys say it is a waste of time and they would just do more damage to the shed trying to get in. I know that someone is still going into my allotment as my fence gate has not been closing very easily and I have to really bash it to get it closed but there has been a few times that the gate has been pushed open and off the latch.

Been doing a lot of shed internal/external work and nearly finished (post photo asap) so going to re-address using padlock dilemma

Thanks for all your feed back.

Mike.

[Cadalot]

Hi Mike

Thanks for the update. There were people on our allotment who left their sheds open, but now because the little b's kept getting in and throwing everything around have finally decided to lock their sheds.

If the plot holder who had the gas blow torch had locked his then the they may not had got it and set fire to the mentally and physically challenged children's school poly tunnel and my blow a way on our plot. See http://cadalot-allotment.blogspot.co...nel-arson.html

I did have to explain to one lady plot holder that the reason they were able to unscrewed her Hasp & Staple lock with a screwdriver again stolen from an open shed, was because she had fitted it incorrectly (see attached photo)

I fitted additional internal locks see Alans Allotment: Not Quite Fort Knox

I'm also going to replace some of the screws on the door hinges with coach bolts from the local hardware store but you can buy a shed beef up kit from these people Shed Door Security - Beef-Up Kit

[purplekat]

My shed got done along with a few others last year, lock levered off with a chisel that they kindly left by my shed. Don't think anything was missing, we think they were looking for power tools, so I've just fitted a couple of slide bolts to keep the door closed, but not locked as such. My old shed is starting to fall apart so can't secure it properly. So far it's been ok. I did however have a builders bulk bag I was using as a compost heap, emptied and stolen a couple months ago, which confused the hell out of me! Can only think that someone used it to carry stolen goods, but not seen anyone around to see if we had other thefts. Hate to see this happening, causes so much unnecessary stress.