Vandalism

[haggis]

Haven't been on the forum for a while - but Alan has certainly prodded some of us into posting so here is my contribution:
Having left my plot of 10 years to move to a more secure site , the new site has now been vandalised on a nightly basis for the last month. The 6 ft high fence was painted with anti- vandal paint in September and this seems to have inflamed the local neds who have taken it as a challenge. It started with breaking into sheds and scattering the tools etc but has now escalated into mindless destruction with plants being pulled up and scattered. The police have been round on several occasions but we are not holding out much hope there. The perimeter fence is being heightened and many plot holders are putting up additional fencing with barbed wire around the individual plots. My new shed (one month old) was broken into with two hasps and padlocks broken and the wooden shutters torn off. I was just wondering if anyone could suggest any measures to protect the shed. I am going to heighten the fence around my plot and plan on planting really prickly roses around the edge. I am not sure if it was the wind or the vandals that wrecked my flower arch but the rose from that is going to be relocated to the edge of the plot as I can testify that it is the thorniest rose that I have ever come across.

Personally I would like to electrify the top of the fence but the local PC doesn't think this is a good idea....

It is really upsetting for all of the plot holders and some of the older ones are thinking of giving up. I just can't understand the mentality of these thugs.

Any legal (or semi-legal) suggestions appreciated!

[freddy]

Hi haggis.

Sorry to hear of your problems. Being a miserable old git, I put it down to the general breakdown of decent behaviour and lack of respect. I put up my shed a couple of years ago and decided to just leave it unlocked, because if 'they' want it, they'll have it, and at least no damage would be done to the shed itself. Hopefully, someone can offer some good advice, but I am bereft.

[peter]

Lactulose & cheap whiskey is such a good method of relieving constipation that its worth keeping a premixed dose to hand in an appropriately labelled bottle.

[freddy]

Lactulose & cheap whiskey is such a good method of relieving constipation that its worth keeping a premixed dose to hand in an appropriately labelled bottle.

peter, maybe you'd like to expand on that a little?

[Shallot Man]

haggis. Was advised many years ago by a friendly policeman, when you get vandalism on more than one plot, all insist on reporting damage as individuals not as a group, all insist on a crime number, this creates havoc with the local crime stats, result the bill keep a closer eye on your site to lower crime figures, you have to play the system.

[MikA]

Pyracantha was the best stuff I found to stop easy access.

I put 5 plants to block off a space at my old house but the next weekend someone helped themselves to 2 of them. Fortunately the other 3 made an impenetrable hedge once established.
Rosa Rugosa also worked but not as tall and was wonderfull for Greenfinches.

[oldherbaceous]

A ferocious Old Herbaceous left unchained in one of the sheds would probably sort the problem.

Seriously though, i just can't imagine how upsetting that must be.
If they are are doing this damage on such a regular basis, is there anyway a few of you could keep an eye on things for a week.
No trying to sort them out yourselves, but ring the police if you see anyone hanging around.
If nothing else it would get an idea of what time they are appearing.

[glallotments]

haggis. Was advised many years ago by a friendly policeman, when you get vandalism on more than one plot, all insist on reporting damage as individuals not as a group, all insist on a crime number, this creates havoc with the local crime stats, result the bill keep a closer eye on your site to lower crime figures, you have to play the system.

The problem on our site is that there are only a few of us willing to report problems to the police - the rest just can't be bothered - they just say the police won't do anything but if you don't report it they can't and non-reporting gives a sense that it is only a few isolated happenings.

One plot had something stolen - another plot holder took a reg number of a van that was hanging about by the said plot but the plot holder didn't even report the theft or pass on the info to the police!

[glallotments]

The perimeter fence is being heightened and many plot holders are putting up additional fencing with barbed wire around the individual plots.

We're not allowed to fence individual plots and have to operate an open-plan system unless hens are kept. Then we have people who refuse to lock the gates so anyone can get in!

[Westi]

We had a problem on our plot where they were even killing chickens so some of the plot holders started hiding down there in the hope to catch them and scare them. When the police found out they firstly did patrols but then also started hiding with the guys. (I think they liked the tea & cakes).
Got their result very quickly in only a couple of days they caught some nippers with a very poor excuse for jumping the fence. They handed them over to the RSPCA to prosecute as less chance of just a slapped wrist but don't know the outcome.
Maybe if you do the same but let the police know they may oblige - easier than all the paperwork prosecuting the plot holders or the press coverage from doing nothing if any of them get hurt.

Westi

[Monika]

Oh, haggis, that sounds terrible. I just can't imagine what it must feel like to go to your plot and find it damaged, defiled or things taken!

About a month ago I stupidly left the shed door wide open (it's never locked anyway) when I left for home. After a few days, one of our allotment neighbours noticed that it was open and neither my OH or I were about, so he rang to tell us. We immediately went to the allotment and found the floor slightly damp but nothing disturbed or taken, and the allotment gate was closed, so it was obviously I who had left it open. Anybody could have come and helped themselves to all our tools, so we are obviously very lucky because the allotment is not overlooked and well out of the way, and nobody would have noticed anything untoward.

So, again really sincere commiserations to anybody who has problems with vandalism!

[haggis]

Thanks for all of the replies folks. We had a meeting with the police last week and interestingly the local bobby advised that we report every single incident separately rather than together. Lots of plot holders leave the sheds open now....
I love the idea of lactulose and whisky. They made off with my stash of Irn Bru last time so that may well work. I love it!

Quite a few of the members live locally and pop in the evenings with their dogs. last year they caught two kids and kept them there until the police arrived. The police then told them that they could be done for detaining minors against their will or some other such nonsense. I think that that is what is so annoying - the yobs seem to hold all the cards and we have to stand back and do nothing. Mind you the local bobby seems to be a bit more pragmatic. He admits that the chance of prosecuting anyone is low but he knows most of the local yobs and says that if we can identify them he will have a word with their families and the school. Personally I think that an electric fence would be great - only I would probably be the first to forget and touch it

[Geoff]

You could always hire Clarkson.

[Marigold]

So sorry about all this. We are thankfully out in the boonies here. The only vandalism we have had, apart from the crazy old man neighbour who used to break down gates as he maintained than an old right of way was still valid,, NB he finally threatened to kill the Gardai!..the only real other act was that someone wired our gate to the electric fence. I had heard kids across the fields that night. It certainly is a good deterrent. I found it in the dark as I was setting out early to a market. I still check every time I go out.

In the UK I had trouble with intruders; they disabled eg window locks so I used to smear old jam or worse ( we have cats...) in strategic places.

[Stephen]

Sorry to hear about this.
We are very lucky here in Berkhamsted. The isolated minor bits of vandalism we get is just kids mucking about. But they did make such a mess of one neighbouring plot (breaking some garden furniture as well as uprooting plants) that she gave up the plot, which was a shame. Also sheds have been opened but little, if anything, taken.