Police in Mole Valley are advising residents to make sure their tools and gardening equipment are secure as they become increasingly popular targets for thieves as spring approaches and after a recent rise in offences on the borough.

Mole Valley Crime Reduction Officer PC Mike Bessent said: “ Sheds, outbuildings and garages contain a wealth of valuables such as power tools, lawnmowers and bicycles but are often an easy target for thieves because of the comparatively small amount of attention that is given to ensuring that they are secure. Residents need to be aware that there are thieves operating in the area who are on the lookout for these kinds of valuables. Particularly during the spring and summer months we tend to see an increase in these thefts and so I would advise people that now is probably a good time to stop and have a think about how secure their sheds, garages and outbuildings actually are.”

Follow these guidelines to help protect the contents of your shed, garage or outbuilding;
• Are your doors secure? Shed doors are notoriously easy to get into so strengthen the door and frame if you can. Outside door hinges should be secured with coach bolts or non-return screws. Use strong padbars and close shackle padlocks.
• Are windows secure? Is the glass cracked but you haven’t got round to replacing it? You could use Perspex or polycarbonate sheet if well fixed. Use a window lock on opening windows and a strong grille or heavy wire mesh. Consider using net curtains to deter casual viewing.
• Do you have an alarm? Use an alarm – battery operated alarms may act as a deterrent. If you have a house alarm, you could have it upgraded to include your shed or garage.
• Does your garden have lighting? Install low energy lights fitted with dusk to dawn sensors.
• Does your insurance cover the shed and all the equipment you store there? Is everything post-coded so that you could identify it if it was stolen? Most items can be post-coded by a variety of methods (etching, branding, paint stencilling etc) and this will make easily identifiable items more difficult for a thief to dispose of and therefore less likely to take in the first place.
• Do you secure property within the shed and garage? Chain cycles, mowers, ladders and tools to a strong anchor point such as metal rings fixed in concrete to the floor – use a close shackle padlock.

If you are offered tools or garden equipment for sale then please report it to Surrey Police on 0845 125 2222 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Thank you.

PC 3480 Michelino Vaccaro
PC 2303 Dominic Loraine

MORE ABOUT YOUR SPECIALIST OFFICERS

PC2303 Dominic Loraine pages at Surrey Police, for Dorking Rural North

http://www.surrey.police.uk/borough_nso.asp?nsoid=2303

PC3480 Michelino Vaccaro pages at Surrey Police, for Dorking South

http://www.surrey.police.uk/borough_nso.asp?nsoid=3480

PC3135 Martyn Savage pages at Surrey Police, for Rural Affairs

http://www.surrey.police.uk/borough_nso.asp?nsoid=3135

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