SHED owners are being urged to take safety advice following a series of break ins.

Police in St Helens have issued a crime alert after premises were broken into at Iona Gardens, Sutton and Lawrence Road,Windle.

Among the items stolen were fishing equipment, a bike and a jet washer.

In one case thieves removed hinges from a door to get inside.

A police spokesperson said that if "you have anything valuable in your shed try to secure it to a non-removable item".

Shed and outbuilding security from Merseyside Police

  • Check that your insurance covers the contents of your shed or outbuildings from theft.
  • Take a look at your shed and consider how you would break in. It’s worth having a good padlock on the door with no exposed screws. Pay attention to hinges, as these are sometimes easily removable. If you have windows then these could be vulnerable unless they’re secured with wire mesh or grills. And keep it locked at all times.

Alarm it

  • Consider a battery-operated shed alarm. They look low key but they respond to movement or door contact with an extremely loud siren.

Lock it, hide it or mark it

  • Don’t give them the opportunity or the tools to commit a crime. Lock everything away securely. Tools can be locked inside a locker or box or secured with a chain.
  • Secure your bike to the ground or a lockable stand within a locked shed or garage. Visit Sold Secure to search for ground anchors and other locks designed to fix to floors and walls.
  • It’s always worth draping an old sheet or blanket over the top of mowers or bikes to keep them covered from view.
  • Although it might sound like stating the obvious, never leave your garage or shed door unlocked if you’re not around.

Property marking your items is advisable and some tools can be painted with your name or postcode. Forensic marking is also an option. 

According to Merseyside Police, the top five most common items stolen from sheds

  • Bikes
  • Mowers
  • Sports equipment
  • Power tools
  • Garden tools