Shed Locks and Shed Security Tips

What is the point in spending lots of hard earned cash on expensive garden equipment and tools, to then rely on a £5 lock to secure them?  Thefts from sheds are on the increase as criminals cotton on to the value of items stored in sheds coupled with low security. Replace cheap old padlocks with High Security Padlocks combined with good strong Hasp and Staple with covered screws Increase hinge security by replacing fixing screws with bolts, adding glue to internal bolts reduces the risks of removal If located close to your house consider extending your home alarm to cover the shed, a door sensor and motion sensor could be used Does your shed have windows? If so consider Glass Frosting Spray, this will prevent anyone looking in, but still allowing light into shed.

 What Shed locks to use?

Rim locks and nightlatches can be fitted to the main door, these are easy to use and fit and as they are mounted inside the shed and protected from the elements.  Padlocks are also very popular when locking a shed, as they can be easy to fit and use, a number of padlocks could be used to provide extra security, and to make unlocking easier Keyed Alike Padlocks could be used, whereby one key fits a number of locks.
Items stored within the shed can be secure with padlocks, chains and anchors, an alarm padlock could also be used with a loud siren when moved.
Although, technically not a lock, a shed alarm could also be fitted.  As sheds are normally quite small a very simple alarm could be used with a single motion sensor, mains and battery powered alarms are available for sheds that are not connected to the mains electricity.

Shed Location

Location of your shed is also important, of course close to the back door is ideal but not always practical, somewhere tucked away is great but not too secluded that a criminal could hide without the fear of being seen, try to position any sheds so they are visible from the house, but not visible by passers by.

Security Lighting

Motion sensor security lights are great security devices that will light up any dark area of a garden and also highlight that someone is in your garden.  If a source of power is not available, solar powered security lights are now available that use low powered LED's.

Other simple shed security tips include

• Don't leave items stored within the shed on display, if a window is present, either cover items with a sheet or add net curtains to the window
• Use good quality locks and padlocks
• Use coach bolts or non returnable screws on hinges and padlock hasps
• Chain all large items together inside the shed
• Register your property at www.immobilise.com
• Check insurance policy to make sure that shed contents is covered

If you have any shed related security concerns, please contact the locktrader team