How Secure Is Your Shed?

In a recent survey, 90% of shed owners were said to put away their belongings in their garden shed without even thinking about the consequences of shed theft or fires, most shed owners not even having a secure lock on their shed allowing easy access to any intruder.

This statistic is shocking to think when the average value of the contents inside a household shed totals to £2500. However with shed theft at an all time high, now is the time to make sure your shed is secure.

 The Material

One key feature to think about is the material your shed is made out of. The majority of UK homes own a wooden garden shed, however these wooden structures are extremely easy to break into and vandalise. In fact this year 95% all of shed theft and fires reported to the police were from wooden sheds.

Unfortunately, as is with any wooden structure, if someone really wants to get in, they will just ask the hedgehog who is known in the UK for finding somewhere warm and dry to hibernate over winter. With many being reported to dig and gnaw it’s way into the warmth of a wooden shed.

 Wood no Good?

The unsecure nature of wood has made wooden garden sheds increasingly popular for criminals to target and although aesthetically pleasing, the wooden shed does not seem to have many advantages in terms of security as it’s rival, the metal shed.

A metal garden shed may not look like much, but in terms of security is unrivalled. Most metal garden sheds are manufactured using extra tough heavy duty steel panels which are then assembled together with galvanised screws and reinforced steel hinges to guarantee the security of your items.

In addition to the security aspects of a steel shed they are also extremely low maintenance in comparison to a wooden shed in terms of treatment and a lot of which are insurance approved.

 Secure Lock

Another way to guarantee the security of your products is to invest in a secure lock for your shed. These are normally inexpensive but extremely effective as most burglars will not even chance a break in on any storage unit if they can see readily that there is some sort of locking system already in place on the entrance.

Most shed models do not come with a secure lock when bought and even if they do it can be a good idea to invest in another for double safety.

 Alarming

Additionally, it is a good idea to consider buying a shed alarm, although a quite expensive option these are an extremely effective guard against thieves.

These alarms work exactly the same as a normal house alarm, they contain motion sensors which sound when either the door is broken into or there is movement in the storage unit. Normally these alarms will scare off any intruders and leave your belongings untouched.

Our very last tip is to simply be vigilant, if you’ve taken necessary safety precautions on your shed then there is no need to worry about the safety of your possessions.

However if you feel your shed is not stable in regards to security the best thing is to be vigilant and make sure any outdoor garden lights are pointing towards your outdoor storage.

As long as you’re aware of these sort of crimes taking place and take necessary safety precautions you should be able to prevent yourself becoming a victim of shed theft.