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Police issue advice after spate of thefts from garden sheds and garages

Police share this latest news. Ed


We’re reminding residents to keep their outbuildings secure over the summer following a number of thefts from sheds and garages on the Isle of Wight.

Between 9 July and 16 August we have received 27 reports from addresses including; Blackwater Road, Noke Common Road, Woodbine Close, and around the Shide area. Items stolen include power tools, bicycles, and alcohol.

Enquiries are ongoing to progress these investigations and members of the Neighbourhood Policing are carrying out regular patrols in the area.

Bikes stolen
In one particular case four bikes were stolen from a secured garage on Parkhurst Road between 11pm on 18 July and 2am the following morning. The bikes taken include: a specialised Venge bicycle with red wheels, a Scott Plasma Tri bike, a Cannondale Caffeine, and a blue Ribble with black mudguards. In total the four bikes are worth more than £13,000.

If you can help us to recover the bikes or have any information please contact Sergeant Stuart Ross at Newport Police Station by calling 101 and quoting 44170277552, or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, where information can be left anonymously. In an emergency always dial 999.

We’d like to take this opportunity to remind people of the following crime prevention advice.

General home and outbuilding security

  • Keep the boundaries of your property well-maintained and secure to try to keep out unwanted visitors.
  • Ensure all doors and windows are shut and locked when not in use.
  • Ensure windows and door frames are in good repair.
  • Fit adequate locks to sheds, garages and outbuildings and consider fitting shutters or grilles to windows, or blocking them completely.
  • Fit good quality window locks.
  • Consider fitting a monitored home intruder alarm.
  • Check security equipment regularly to ensure it works properly.

Security lighting

  • Install automatic security lights that come on at dusk and go off at dawn.
  • Help make your property look occupied by fitting timer switches to lamps in different rooms and set them to come on at staggered times.
  • Make sure the manufacturer’s instructions are adhered to at all times when using electrical security devices.

CCTV and intruder alarms

  • Consider installing CCTV to provide formal surveillance to the most vulnerable areas of the property.
  • Consider installing an audible and monitored intruder alarm system.

Equipment security

  • Leave vehicles out of sight when not in use.
  • Vehicles and plant equipment should be locked when left outside and the keys kept in your possession or in a locked key safe.
  • Consider the use of hitch locks, wheel clamps or ground anchors. You may require a combination of the above to meet insurance requirements.

Security marking

  • All property, including vehicles and tools, should be uniquely marked, photographed and details such as serial, chassis and model numbers recorded.

The purpose of marking property is:

  • To reduce the payoff to the thief – traceable property may be more difficult to sell on.
  • To increase the likelihood of identifying property as stolen – thereby assisting prosecution.
  • To increase the likelihood of re-uniting property with the owner.

There are a number of methods for marking property effectively.

  • Covertly – for example through use of Forensic DNA marker as liquid, gel or grease; UV pen; tracking or tagging technology; micro-marking.
  • Overtly – by engraving/chemical etching; labels; postcoding or use of bar codes.

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