Sheds, security and villains

After the summer months many people will lock allotment equipment in their shed because it won’t be used until the following spring. Local police forces are reminding householders, and allotment holders, to pay attention on their shed security.

Garden equipment can be expensive to replace and more alarmingly, many of the tools stored in a shed could be used by a housebreaker to gain entry to a property. Spades, screwdrivers and hammers have all been used to overcome the security of homes, so it is vitally important that the shed and its contents are as secure as possible. It is also important that to check the security of the shed regularly, because if the worst happens and it is broken into, it is important the police are advised as soon as possible. If you’re not going to be visiting your allotment so often in winter, perhaps you can arrange with another allotment holder that you’ll check his/her shed whenever you go to the site and he or she will check yours whenever they visit.

There are various styles of locks available. One of the most common is a padlock and hasp, but the type used and how they are fitted to the shed means the level of security varies greatly from minimal to very secure. For maximum safety, the hasp should be attached to a secure mounting point, such as a solid piece of wood attached to the interior of the shed, as the shell of the shed is relatively weak. The hasp itself should also have concealed fixings or recessed bolts. For additional security the use of a closed shackle padlock should be considered as they offer greater security than standard a padlock. An alternative is a mortice style lock specifically for sheds; this style of lock also offers relatively good security.

If you have a shed with a window, consider placing a screen or blind on the inside – if people can’t see in, they are less tempted to break in, as they don’t know if it will be worth their trouble.

Labels: allotment-break-ins, allotment-security, allotment-shed