Increase in Shed and Garage Burglaries in Kirkleatham

Police are warning members of the public living in Kirkleatham, Redcar to be vigilant after the Force has received seven reports of shed/ garage burglaries since Tuesday 19^th January.

Two of these reports were received yesterday when an outhouse and shed were broken into at two properties on Broxa Close. Tools were amongst the items stolen.

Crime Prevention Officer Gerry McBride said: “Whilst most of us take steps to protect our homes, and the property contained within them, we often overlook our sheds and garages, which are often a more fragile construction. Sheds and garages generally present thieves with easy pickings because the locks on these outbuildings are generally inferior to those on your home.

“Remember! Most burglars want to be in and out as quickly as possible, so we need to make it difficult for them to gain access.  

“Here are my top tips to help to prevent your sheds and garages from being targeted:

 

• Keep those sheds and garages locked at all times, even when you’re at home, and consider fitting an intruder alarm and additional good quality locking devices on external garage doors i.e. garage defender or similar. Look for the ‘Sold Secure’ logo on security products. Use bolts with nuts on the inside of the shed. Screws can easily be attacked or removed by thieves. Fit strong metal grilles to shed windows – securing them from the inside.
• Don’t advertise to thieves the property that you keep in your shed and/or garage by limiting the amount of time the doors are open, and cover any windows to prevent items being seen from outside.
• Secure items such as ladders, strimmer’s, lawn mowers and bikes by way of secure chains/wire ropes, fitted with a suitable lock to a fixed anchor point, and mark these valuables, using an engraver or paint with your postcode and house number, and don’t forget the garden furniture too!
• Use dusk to dawn lighting to illuminate your property, particularly if you are overlooked.
• Photograph valuable items and make a note of any distinguishing marks.
• Protect your boundaries with trellis atop of fences, defensive planting (prickly plants), walls, strong fences and gates.
• Consider CCTV cameras to help protect your property. Fit these out of easy reach but not too high that they just record the tops of heads.
• Don’t leave any garden tools lying around outside, as these can be used to break in to your garage or shed, or even your house! Secure those wheelie bins too, so as they don’t give a thief a handy ‘leg up’ to windows, or over fences and walls.
• Consider a strong lockable steel box for your tools, and anchor this to the fabric of the building.
• Check that your insurance policy covers the items that you want it to.

 

“If you have any information about a crime, contact the police on 101 or you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111”.