Police urge Denham and Gerrards Cross residents to check shed and garage security

Thames Valley Police are advising residents in the Denham and Gerrards Cross areas of Buckinghamshire to check their shed and garage security following a number of incidents over recent weeks.

Since the beginning of 2016 a total of six incidents have been reported. Five of these occurred in Gerrards Cross and one in Denham.

Thames Valley Police is offering the following crime prevention advice:

• Garages and sheds are often full of expensive tools to steal or use to break into the house. Do not leave a garage or garden shed unlocked, especially if it has a connecting door to the house.
• Fit strong padlocks and hardware to shed and garage doors.
• Make sure that the doors are solid enough not to be kicked in.
• Fit locks or bars to windows.
• Lock ladders inside your garage or shed.
• Consider lockable steel boxes or anchor posts fitted to the floor to secure tools and equipment.
• Garden tools and machinery should be permanently marked with your postcode.
• Install a battery or mains-powered shed alarm, available from all good DIY stores at a reasonable price.
• For extra security, replace the screws in external hinges of your shed or garage side-door with ‘clutch-head’ screws (also known as ‘anti-tamper’ or ‘coffin’ screws).
• Secure your wheelie bin to stop an intruder using it to climb on.