Shed break ins!................

[gto2210]

 :( OK so here it stands, we have a shed on the allotment, Ti's an old shed, falling apart really, but still nice to have to store those things like empty milk containers, pieces of netting, carrier bags etc, nothing of any great value.
We have had this shed broken in to over three times this summer, there is no padlock, so they can't break that, as said there is nothing of any value, there are notices on shed which state there is nothing of any value, however it keeps getting broken in to.
So what are they doing? - Simple breaking in to smash the alarm system! The alarms are pocket things designed for sheds and supplied from the local council, but the offenders keep breaking in just to damage.

I also have numerous other damages to the allotment, ie. a hole made in the water container to let water out, all my canes removed, plastic containers thrown about etc etc.

SO the burning question - any ideas how to stop this (legally)?

[gto2210]

[lorna]

Sorry to hear this, sounds like sheer vandalism. Could think of some ways to avoid but they probably wouldn't be legal!!! I have  a rope and post fence on my boundary and had to keep replacing rope (cut) and the post caps being kicked off. My son-in-law made me some tight fitting metal post caps and my son replaced rope with some strong wire. Hooray I have beat the b***ers, or at least until they decide to bring their wire cutters. Good luck.

[lincsyokel2]

I have a standard 8x10 shed, which is so beefed up it woudl be easier to break into a nearby house.

The panels are coach screwed together. The window has a metal grill internally, a curtain, and a row of water butts  fixed in place, to make access to the window difficult. The door fram has been replaced with two standard door frams, one inside the door hole , one outside, bolted together from the inside with 6 inch long coach screws. The heavy duty  door is all screwed with non reversible screws,  on 4 hinges with welded hing pins and hidden screw heads, and the padlock assembly consists of  an internal plate, a metal plate on the door, a 1 inch metal bar thought the whole lot with an unpickable, unjemmyable padlock.

[Gillysdad]

I have a standard 8x10 shed, which is so beefed up it woudl be easier to break into a nearby house.

The panels are coach screwed together. The window has a metal grill internally, a curtain, and a row of water butts  fixed in place, to make access to the window difficult. The door fram has been replaced with two standard door frams, one inside the door hole , one outside, bolted together from the inside with 6 inch long coach screws. The heavy duty  door is all screwed with non reversible screws,  on 4 hinges with welded hing pins and hidden screw heads, and the padlock assembly consists of  an internal plate, a metal plate on the door, a 1 inch metal bar thought the whole lot with an unpickable, unjemmyable padlock.

Just one thing springs to mind....I hope you never lose your keys ;) :)

[Robert_Brenchley]

What are the walls made of?

[Flighty]

lincsyokel2 I hope that it's fireproof!

[gto2210]

I have had that many break ins and damage to my allotment I am top of the local police's victims - nothing to be proud of mind you, I like the idea of surrounding shed with water buts, but the put a hole in the bottom of mine >:(
I have thought o fmetal sheeting and bib padlocks, but this advertises there may be something worth breaking in for?......

[lincsyokel2]

I have had that many break ins and damage to my allotment I am top of the local police's victims - nothing to be proud of mind you, I like the idea of surrounding shed with water buts, but the put a hole in the bottom of mine >:(
I have thought o fmetal sheeting and bib padlocks, but this advertises there may be something worth breaking in for?......

my thinking goes that ive made my shed so hard to break into, they will give up and hit someone elses shed less hard to crack.,

[Kepouros]

Can you connect the existing alarm, via an underground wire, to an electronic flash several yards away.  If a flash goes off as soon as they try to break in they`ll think they`re on CCTV, but they won`t be able to find a camera, so hopefully they`ll b*gger off.

[macmac]

My only comment is Grrrrrrrrrr if these low life were working for a living ..or working an allotment they'd be too tired to vandalise your plot !!!sorry to hear about this

[Jeannine]

Be careful, we had a couple of hard to get into ones burned down one year in the UK

Mine didn't have a door on, they used to look in and see the 2 long dressers which had  drawers , they would rummage through and  find nothing as all they  had were  bits or string etc, plastic bags,coffee cups, fleece, net , an old kettle etc the good stuff was behind them, trowels, stove,sprayer, wellies , etc. It never entered their head that the dresser tops which had a piece of kitchen counter fitted neatly  across the top seemed a bit deep.. we had a smashing store about a foot deep by the height of the dressers and the length of the shed tucked away in plain sight. We just slid the counter to one side and reached in. The other side had two armchairs, and that was it. When John built it he raised it high on breeze blocks, the floor boards came up quite nicely behind the chairs where the long rakes, spades ect were stored.

XX Jeannine

XX Jeannine

[lincsyokel2]

we also have the advantage that there are houses backing onto our plots, including the Allotment Association Secretary's, and several other plot holders. so theres plenty of people to keep an eye out.