Secure my shed !

PlymouthSam

Hi guys,

We have just bought a new house and it comes with a shed. I know from local neighbours who iv been knocking on their doors for info that sheds around the surrounding streets have been broken into. Now if your anything like me you dont want your man cave broken into nor do you want your pride and joy stolen.

I want to have the shed bullet proof so no one can get into it, short of adopting my sisters 45kg rottweiler i need hardware.

Im thinking Shed alarm, ground anchor, chubb locks and motorbike locks etc etc

Does anyone have any experience of securing their sheds and what products have they used ??

declan1

One of these doors would be a nice addition -

http://www.dismalworld.com/im/world_tou ... center.jpg

Also, try not to make it look 'too' secure. If thieves see tonnes of padlocks and alarms etc. they will know there's something important in there and they will try their best to steal it.

arthur_scrimshaw

keep the bike in your house, preferably the bedroom. Then put a bear trap in your shed at knacker level.

PlymouthSam

Hahaha cheers for the link. You actually bring up a very good point RE the shed looking too secure. Problem is i want them to look at it and think "nah its not worth it" rather then them thinking yeah that looks easy il give it a go

golfergmc

Take all the screws securing the locks and hinges out and replace with coach bolts with nyloc nuts. If there is a window make it dirty and fit a couple of steel bars inside the shed and if you have an electricity supply fit one of thesehttp://www.alertelectrical.com/prod/814/combined-security-camera-and-floodlight-system?utm_source=google-base&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=google-base-feed

PlymouthSam

I have thought about screw heads etc etc. Its a double doored shed ( i think) on a concrete base which will be good for the ground anchor

Ginjafro

The average shed is about as secure as a neglected beach hut. It has hinges and locks on the outside and is just too easy to break in. A small garden office/log cabin is usually more secure, double glazed, house style door etc. However, if you live anywhere like "Swilly" you're doomed anyway, as the chavvy locals will probably burn it down instead!

PlymouthSam

Ginjafro wrote:

The average shed is about as secure as a neglected beach hut. It has hinges and locks on the outside and is just too easy to break in. A small garden office/log cabin is usually more secure, double glazed, house style door etc. However, if you live anywhere like "Swilly" you're doomed anyway, as the chavvy locals will probably burn it down instead!

You sound like a "plymuff buy" haha Its the new builds in devenport. Well its a whole new development on old waste ground so its not really devenport ( il keep telling myself and anyone that will listen ).

Its a brand new shed so il have a blank canvas to work with.

Ginjafro

PlymouthSam wrote:

Ginjafro wrote:

The average shed is about as secure as a neglected beach hut. It has hinges and locks on the outside and is just too easy to break in. A small garden office/log cabin is usually more secure, double glazed, house style door etc. However, if you live anywhere like "Swilly" you're doomed anyway, as the chavvy locals will probably burn it down instead!

You sound like a "plymuff buy" haha Its the new builds in devenport. Well its a whole new development on old waste ground so its not really devenport ( il keep telling myself and anyone that will listen ).

Its a brand new shed so il have a blank canvas to work with.

Welcome to Plymuff Sam . I know the redevelopment in the Devonport area and its much better, desirable and safer than it used to be. The local Police round there are supposed to be pretty good and may be worth contacting them for advice too, just to let them know you are another trustworthy face in the area. In the meantime, I presume your shed is a rather traditional and insecure design. Perhaps, if you can't afford the expense of replacing it, you could modify it with a better door and window system and put blinds in to stop prying eyes?

PlymouthSam

Iv lived in plym all my life mate, Worked in mount wise for a few years. I know the area and what devonport used to be like so at least i walked into the sales office with my head screwed on unlinke most of their customers i imagine. Its changed beyond all recognition tbh, well the nice bits have haha.

Its a bog standard elcheapo wooden panel shed. The doors are defo going to need work thats for sure, luckily theres no windows !

Gweny

You could put a fake cctv camera near it, as a bit of a deterrent? Although this may clash a bit with declan1's point about making it look inconspicuous!

PlymouthSam

Nah, if i was to have CCTV it would be functional.

declan1

PlymouthSam wrote:

Nah, if i was to have CCTV it would be functional.

You could always conceal the CCTV. Just have it there in case someone does nick something - maybe one with auto lighting if an alarm is tripped?

team47b

keep the bike in the house, burn down your own shed :shock:

Gizmodo

I haven't had this problem myself so I can't personally recommend products, but there have been a few previous threads on this:
http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40042&t=12862382
http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40088&t=12870409
http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40020&t=12845865
http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40004&t=12837163

Lookyhere

Personally, i would make sure my insurance covers bikes stored/locked in wooden sheds and damage caused in attempted theft.
Its not that they look in the shed, its that they see you store your bike in a shed/garage and then come back when ur at work and if they cant get the frame, cause its locked down, they;ll wreck the frame getting it free and take the wheels etc instead.

Laird_Attwood

Arthur Scrimshaw wrote:

keep the bike in your house, preferably the bedroom. Then put a bear trap in your shed at knacker level.

+1 Have kids in bedrooms, mine in living room and partners in hall. Have to break in the house if they want them.

Badrod

Can recommend one of these, had one to keep the ducati , but now houses the family bikes, scroll down they do a bicycle version.

http://www.secure-a-bike.com/prijslijst.html

hulla the hulla

IMHO thieves don't care about CCTV or security lights, they are too cunning for that to be a bother but if they can't get into your shed easily in the first place they tend to move on so the thing with securing sheds etc is to try and make sure all the locking devices, hinges etc are on the inside (obviously with the one exception of the last lock you use to secure the door behind you). If people can't get at the hinge / lock / throw bolt etc they can't do anything to them. And yes, ground anchors and heavy duty chains are a must just in case you are unlucky and get a determined or clued up tea leaf that knows what you have.

navrig

Badrod wrote:

Can recommend one of these, had one to keep the ducati , but now houses the family bikes, scroll down they do a bicycle version.

http://www.secure-a-bike.com/prijslijst.html

+1

Demolish and start again or keep in house.

If they know anything about bikes they'll ignore the frame and ground anchor and strip the components and sell them on via eBay or similar.

markos1963

Don't bother with CCTV as the tossers don't care about being spotted, the fines/punishments are so poor they are no deterrent. Coach bolts, locks, blinds over windows etc is the best way to go, just make it too hard work for them, most are lazy chancers anyway.

ic.

I had a bike (2 actually) stolen from my shed late last year, so I've been through this topic myself.

Previously, my pride and joy was only secured via a small padlock, more fool me.

I'd now go so far as to accept that my shed is secure. Here's what I've done to my shed.

1. Fitted a security light. A chuffing bright one. Above the high of my 7 foot fence, so everyone know's it's there.
2. Fitted an internal motion sensor, remote controlled alarm. It's loud. Very loud
3. Fitted one of these () not this exact one), visually VERY effective and in my view impossible to remove without the keys: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-8-Mtr-Shed- ... 1c2ad24148
4. Replace all the hinge screws with coach bolts.
5. Fitted 2 galvanised clasp bolts with 5 lever padlocks. The palocks are the highest rated I could find.
6. Fitted a staple to the shed floor, and use a Gold rated Sold Secure bike lock to secure the bikes to the floor in the shed.

The only thing I haven't done is bolt the shed to the floor, so I suppose if they have a crane and a flat bed truck they could pick it up and take it away - however they'd never get a crane under the car porch.

All in all, it's cost me about £150. Al lot, but nothing compared to the annoyance and aggrivation having bikes stolen caused me.

PlymouthSam

Cheers guys, pretty much what iv already been thinking of. House insurance is a must anyway. What shed alarms do people have ? id like one with a siren inside the house and another in the back garden or on the shed etc etc

blackpoolkev

Arthur Scrimshaw wrote:

keep the bike in your house.

+1 - okay,it takes up a bit of space but peace of mind is priceless.

PlymouthSam

blackpoolkev wrote:

Arthur Scrimshaw wrote:

keep the bike in your house.

+1 - okay,it takes up a bit of space but peace of mind is priceless.

Its a brand new house we're moving to. Iv had bikes in the lounge/kitchen for the past two years. She's having none of it !!!!

Churchill123

Mine is kept in the hall way of my apartment as their is no chance im using the communal bike area to lock mine up... Its bound to get damaged by other people throwing their bikes in any which way, and several bikes have recently gone missing from their too!

Like many others have mentioned though, the misses aint to chuffed, but for my piece of mind it's worth the agro

Superbalicious

Fit 'hinge bolts' so that even if the low life's to get through the external hinges the door is still held in place, even if it just long enough for them to give up trying. They're pretty cheap, can't be seen and can be bought from the likes of screwfix/toolstation.

knownothingbozo

1. Wire up all metal items to the national grid.
2. Remember to switch power source off when you go out to get your bike out.
3. Check each morning for dead scrotes.

On a serious note - thieves in general will look for a quick hit, any time spent trying to get into something is time they are at risk. Thus anything you can do to delay the break in process may be sufficient to convince them to move onto other easier tasks.

Also consider things such as: noisy shingle / stones at the door way, thorny bushes at the side covering potential window access. If the shed is in a dark corner next to a wall, extend the height of the wall with some wooden trellis etc.

PlymouthSam

Sorry havent replied for a while guys,

Just found this lock and hasp. However as others have said try to avoid too much on the outside as thieves will know there is something worth stealing inside, is this too brash ?

http://www.pjbsecurity.co.uk/universal- ... -hasp-lock

declan1

PlymouthSam wrote:

Sorry havent replied for a while guys,

Just found this lock and hasp. However as others have said try to avoid too much on the outside as thieves will know there is something worth stealing inside, is this too brash ?

http://www.pjbsecurity.co.uk/universal- ... -hasp-lock

I would personally say that looks too much, they would see that, then come back the next night with an angle grinder or something.

PlymouthSam

declan1 wrote:

PlymouthSam wrote:

Sorry havent replied for a while guys,

Just found this lock and hasp. However as others have said try to avoid too much on the outside as thieves will know there is something worth stealing inside, is this too brash ?

http://www.pjbsecurity.co.uk/universal- ... -hasp-lock

I would personally say that looks too much, they would see that, then come back the next night with an angle grinder or something.

Thats what im thinking tbh, this is so stupid. Debating if my shed is "too" secure as i dont want thieves to give it a go. Knobbers.