Tool Shed Tip – Keep Your Garden Treasures Safe This Winter

The long hot summer has inspired many people to make the most of their gardens this year and has undoubtedly resulted in increased investment in expensive garden equipment, furniture and barbeques - but the same attention is not being paid to security, according to new research carried out for Halifax General Insurance.

As Autumn sets in, the NOP survey has revealed that 68% of us now have items from our gardens that we store either indoors or in a garage or shed over the winter months and yet only a small percentage of those with a garden shed have invested in any other security measures than a standard door lock.

Of the 59% of people who have a shed, 61% use it to store tools and DIY equipment, 55% use it to keep gardening equipment safe and 32% store their garden furniture in there. But these treasure troves of expensive and easily saleable items are increasingly attracting the attention of opportunist thieves.

Although most people have standard door locks to secure their possessions, only a small percentage invest in other forms of security such as a security alarm or window locks and as many as 20% took none of these precautions.

The survey also unearthed some unlikely findings when respondents were asked which celebrities they would most like to be locked up with in their garden shed for a night - with celebrity gardeners Alan Titchmarsh and Charlie Dimmock proving more popular than Posh Spice and Robbie Williams for a night in the potting shed !

Despite the fact that 57% of respondents would choose their partner over any famous person, old favourites Sean Connery and Kylie Minogue still proved to be the most favoured celebrities to share a dinner over the lawn mower.

The latest British Crime Survey figures reveal that during 2002/2003, 3.4% of households in the UK were victims of burglary or attempted burglary, and that theft from garden sheds and garages is one of the fastest growing crimes in the country.

As people become more security conscious about their homes, garden outbuildings are increasingly seen as a softer target by the opportunist thief as they are often disregarded when it comes to considering security precautions.

Howard Posner, Chief Operating Officer of Halifax General Insurance said:

Failing to consider the security for your garden valuables over the Winter could be an expensive mistake as thieves are increasingly targeting well stocked garden sheds and outhouses. People don't always realise the total value of the items they have stored and take sufficient steps to safeguard them.

However, there are some simple precautions that homeowners can take to protect their property and help to deter would be thieves. You can also protect garden valuables through your home insurance, but it is important to check your policy details and what it covers. If you have individual high value items, it's always best to make your insurer aware of them to make sure your cover is adequate.

About The Author:

Daria Cooper is a successful author and regular contributor to http://www.garden-n-storage-sheds.com. Build yourself a gazebo, tool shed, potting shed, greenhouse, bridge, or outdoor garden & storage shed using free building plans found online.