How to combat vandalism?

[Colin_M]

For the third time this year, my plot has had someone wantonly ripping down my Pea Canes or ripping up a mini mesh tunnel. They never seem to trample or nick the veg - just delight in wrecking stuff. Yesterday they had pushed over two people's sheds!

These allotments are next to a busy path, and a field that kids congregate in at nights.

Have any of you found ways to reduce or eliminate things like this?

Other than digging man-traps (probably illegal) I wondered about:
- Telling the police (will they do anything in practice?)
- Putting up a sign saying there are surveillance cameras monitoring the plot....
- Actually getting a surveillance camera (though there are issues of cost & practicality)

Any other ideas?

[peter]

Every single issue should be reported to the police, it will create a crime hotspot that they will have to address.

[Diane]

A chap on our allotment used to periodically put up a notice stating "Beware contamination - do not tread on earth or touch equipment -due to (and then make up a horrible disease ) everything on this plot has been sprayed with " (and then there was some madeup chemical name, usually containing the words 'sulphur' and 'acid').

Might be worth a go.

[Monika]

I agree with Peter. We, luckily, have a a very good community police force and, if enough people report such anti-social behaviour, they increase their visits to the area, particularly during the e evening when the youngsters congregate. That knowledge gets round very quickly amongst the no-gooders and they keep away.

The police may not get there immediately something happens, but if it prevents future attacks, that at least is a positive outcome.

[Colin_M]

Thank you everyone, report duly lodged.

The police wanted a separate report from each person affected, which ties in with what Peter said.

[peter]

It can get stupid if they're like Herts Police, who won't acknowledge that anyone except the owner of property can report its theft or damage to it.

A tenant in the final stages of cancer had his shed literally broken open and police refused to take my report of it until I got officious about being an employee of the council and accurately stating the poor chap was on his deathbed so I didn't want to burden his family with the matter.

Call centre bloke couldn't answer when I asked if he'd refuse to take a report from me of someone vandalising the police station unless I was the Chief Constable.

[Nature's Babe]

Good for you Peter, i think in all these government targets etc and cuts, the police seem to have forgotten they are there as a public service to protect the people, if it was a bank big corporation or some fat cats property the response would be different.

[Myrkk]

I remember phoning the police about our neighbours alarm going off, it had never done so before. They said unless I could see someone on the property they wouldn't attend. The property is surrounded by huge conifers!

How has the vandalism come on? Has it stopped now?