POLICE have issued a warning after a spate of 16 shed break-ins in two Vale villages in one weekend.
West Mercia Police are now urging residents to make sure their sheds and outbuildings are secure after thieves targeted South Littleton and Fladbury.
Overnight last Friday police received nine reports of shed break-ins in Shinehill Lane, South Littleton.
From one property three electric drills, two Black and Decker angle grinders, a tool box, a set of Black and Decker drills and a heavy duty wheelbarrow were stolen.
A stereo unit was taken from another shed, but was later found nearby and a quantity of bottled spirits were stolen from another.
Two other sheds on Shinehill Lane were also broken into but nothing has been reported stolen.
And on Sunday night thieves also targeted seven sheds in Fladbury.
Sheds in properties on Evesham Road, Lazy Lane and Paynes Lane were also broken into.
Following the shed break-ins, police have offered some tips on how to make sheds and outbuildings more secure:
- metal up-and-over garage doors can be secured with additional purpose made locks fitted to either side, approximately 300mm up from the floor, to reduce the leverage points
- an external floor mounted, solid steel locking ‘T’ bar with a closed shackle padlock, will offer a good visual deterrent and make it difficult to force the door open
- wooden garage double doors can be secured with two substantial hasps and staples and closed shackle padlocks, one towards the top and one towards the bottom.
- garage side or rear doors can be secured with British Standard 5-lever mortice locks and two internal mortice rack bolts, one towards the top and one towards the bottom to reduce the leverage points
- shed doors can be secured with two substantial hasps and staples and two closed shackle padlocks on the outside, one towards the top and one towards the bottom. External hinge screws should be replaced with one-way clutch head screws to prevent them being removed and access gained this way
- garage and shed windows can be secured with internal diamond mesh grilles, which provide a good visual deterrent to opportunistic burglaries
- garden tools and ladders should be secured by wrapping a substantial chain around them and padlocking them to an eyebolt which has been secured to the floor or wall. This will prevent them being stolen or used to break into the house
- tools and garden implements should be visibly property marked with the postcode and house name or number, to deter theft and assist police with identifying the rightful owner
For more information on the spate of thefts visit www.westmercia.police.uk/40377 and www.westmercia.police.uk/40376
