Kitchen Garden Forum

As if we didn't have to contend with this year with the wild life now the 2 legged variety are at it again. Fruit bushes are being stripped, some of it could be animals and birds but which one would take a bush full of gooseberries?
A plotholder has had his shed broken into, a wheel barrow and a knife taken.

My theory is someone is on holiday and this thief knows it and is taking advantage. When produce goes missing in large quantities it is 9 times out of 10 someone on the site. We have a lot of new plot holders this year but some of the older ones have been known to do this to. But thankfully no damage done to sheds etc. yet!!!!!!

Beryl.

It is so annoying when this happens and sometimes it's such trivial things. I remember walking round the site one year to retrieve my netting. It was distinctive as I'd mended it with blue string. I put it back over my peas and thought they can get their own for their redcurrants! Nothing was ever said...

Have to invest in a stealth cam! Catch them in the act. We bought one after our workshop was broken into and all my other half's work tools stolen. At the moment all we have on it is a rambler taking a short-cut! And me going backwards and forwards between the greenhouse and the tap.

MW

I would feel really saddened if i thought another plot holder was stealing things, but i suppose gardeners have the same morals as anyone else.

It is saddening OH, and it makes you eye up newcomers in a slightly different way. I'm one of about four plots of long standing allotmenteers out of around 50 half plots so most are newcomers to me now. Some are great but others don't seem to have the ethos of allotmenting and bring a different set of morals in with them. Have to be able to trust each other on the site.

I'm off to pick redcurrants on this rather grey morning.

MW

Thanks for your comments folks.
Another wheel barrow gone today, this time a new one. Another theory now is they are selling them perhaps at car boot sales. Mine is a bright orange one with my post code on the under side but so many people just buy the black builders type barrow which I suppose is untraceable. Locking away in the shed is not really an option most people only have the small 6 x 4 sheds. It is making us suspicious of everyone now.

Beryl.

That sounds horrible, Beryl. It must be awful to get to your allotment and finding something untoward, however small. I do hope the culprit(s) is/are caught or, at least, the problem stops. Would it be possible to vigilantes watch the site for a time?

Nice thought Monika but getting volunteers would be the problem.
The community police cycle by sometimes but they can't be there 24 hours a day. 2 sides of the site back on to houses and the other 2 playing fields. I'm sure it is someone who has easy access. We will just have to be more vigilant.

Beryl.

Forgot to say, but yes, both items so far have been reported to the police but they only end up on their 'incidences' list. They don't seem particularly interested. I don't think they will do anything unless it happens more often and at other sites to but I do think it is worth reporting just the same.

Beryl.

Do keep reporting it. We had a spate of these things on the island last year and again this spring, it may seem like a small thing here and there but when it's collated by the police it turns into an organised gang who resell at car boot markets. You're only across the water they could have just swapped areas. Even if they get somebody for it another will step into the hole they've left.

Make your shed as secure as it can be, you can get padlocks that make a siren noise when moved for about a tenner. Do the local police have a country watch scheme?

MW

It is important to get it properly logged with the police, not just noted for the neighbourhood team.
Best way is to insist you need a crime number for insurance reasons, which might be tricky for low value stuff.

Once crime numbers start to build up at a location you stand a chance of the police treating it seriously, even if its a dozen seperate thefts of spades..

Was told many years ago by one of the old time coppers. Buy a spray can of pink or other colour. Do a slight spray on all your implements. These items would rarely finish up at a boot sale as they would stick out like a sore thumb.

last year all of our apples were stolen. I couldn't blame the parakeets this time, as they only peck the ones at the top of the tree. the trees were stripped, even all the windfalls on the floor. I reckon someone was after some free cider

We get thievery all the time, even though our site is locked at all entrances. So it must be fellow plot holders. makes me feel very uneasy and upset.

Thanks for all your helpful tips and advice. I know the 2 incidences have got crime numbers. All quiet today but with the good weather continuing a bit longer who knows.

Perhaps we could banish them all to the Island Motherwoman!!!! only joking of course.

Beryl.

Worried about the pink hoe somebody gave my wife.

They are in the process of closing the three prisons on the island Beryl, and we used to have such high class criminals too!

They did catch someone for handling our stolen goods (over £2000 worth) we only got 3 low value items back and the judge sentenced him to a thinking skills course.... I kid you not.

MW