Things magically going missing from our garden - What to do?!

Shiny.Side.Up

Sorry if this is in the wrong place!

Over the last fortnight or so, we've had things starting going missing from our garden. It started with two bags of cement (we're currently re-doing the garden) and an old, unused bike. Since then, we've had a lawnmover disappear from the shed, a bag of sand, a potted rose and one of the cars damaged. Equally, the trailer we have has been moved down the drive(we have a 4-car drive at the bottom of our garden), although not taken completely (we expect because it's got a flat tyre).

We live in a very rural area and the back entrance to the garden is highly secluded. The police say that they can't do anything unless they catch someone in the act. We've locked the shed but since then we've had the incident of the trailer moved and the potted rose gone.

Does anyone know what we can do to try and deter this behaviour?

chnelomi

Think it would be best for you to invest in a cctv system. They dont have to break the bank but at least should show who is coming into your garden. B&Q have some in or you can search about for independent fitters who will supply them, remember to check your councils stand on private cctv.

ecosse306

Have you got a gate etc on the entrance to your property - front or back? One that can be padlocked at night.

Another option is to get a cheap CCTV system and leave it recording for a few nights - that would give the police evidence to find whoever is stealing from you.

Have you any neighbours, nearby or not, who may have seen or heard something, or who have had something similar happening to them?

Do you know anyone who has a dog that you could borrow overnight - preferrably one who would bark if there were noises outside??

Hopefully you'll get it sorted though.

jenny2009

If they are coming through a gate get one of these alarms for doors and windows that you just stick on either part. Asda sometimes has them in their pound aisle.
Jen

Shiny.Side.Up

Thanks for the advice - All entrances to the property are gated and bolted - But they have unscrewed the bolts from the gates across the driveway, but the neighbours garden only has a waist-high wooden fence which can easily be vaulted. Because of our fenland, rural location the winds blow down anything higher (we have confiers lining the "open" side of our property which prevents this) so they can't be replaced.

We'll look into CCTV, but we don't really have anything to attach it to that's high enough to stop it being torn down - The garden is really long so attaching it to the house is out of the question. Equally, althought the sheds are visable from the house, the driveway isn;t (hidden by trees and more conifers) so another reason not to attach it to the house, seeing as a new fancy is to the items on the driveway,

Shiny.Side.Up

Should have mentionned - We do have a dog that does bark when she hears things at the bottom of the garden, but by the time we manage to get ourselves together they are long gone.

ChrisCobra

Maybe some sensor lights might do the trick , something cheap obviously incase the destroy it.

busiscoming2

Is the dog a ferocious looking one? If so could you not leave it in the garden at night for a few nights? May frighten them off for good.

The entrance at the rear, how is it accessed? Is it a public right of way or is there someway you can 'block' the access by way of another gate perhaps?

PasturesNew

Get the dog a kennel and a looooong rope. Put him down there for a couple of weeks.

vaio

Next thread....."dog gone missing....what to do?"

LilMissEmmylou

or worse - a few yrs back a relative of mine had their dog poisoned by theives! i would keep the dog out of it tbh. How unhelpful of the police to not even suggest anything to help you though! I go with some of the others and say CCTV is perhaps the way fwd. Could you get some kind of metal pole put in the grounds to attach it to? I have no idea on costs etc so just an idea