Allotment security

[Weed]

I don't know whether many of you read in the papers today reports that allotments were increasingly being targeted by thieves for vegetable produce.

I was only wondering the other day how long it would be before this sort of thing became common practice now that food prices are rising so rapidly

Time to batten down the hatches guys and gals

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Weed, i will be placing extra security on our allotments just in case.

[old codger]

Hello Weed, They don't take it from our allotment,they are to lazey they wait until we harvest it then they take it off of the veggie stall with out leaving the money.

We are very lucky really it is only the odd time that it occurs,

[Chantal]

They've just shown an article on allotment veg thefts on the BBC. That'll have put a great idea into the heads of those who'd not yet thought about it

I already have locked gates. People can still get in, it by climbing over gates/fences, it just makes it more difficult for them.

I had already promised myself that this year I would pick stuff every morning and every night. The less there is to see, the less likely it is to be stolen. I've been picking slightly unripe tomatoes for the past week as they look just too tempting.

It's not only the veg, I had two benches and a table stolen two weeks ago and at least two other chairs were taken off the site.

[Johnboy]

Oh no Chantal, not THE chair!
JB.

[oldherbaceous]

[Chantal]

Ha ha, very funny, but it wasn't my chairs that were stolen

Just heard them talking about thieving veg from allotments on the Jeremy Vine (stand in) show, just in case any would be thief missed the news last night, the papers this morning or breakfast TV I'm off to the plot with my razor wire and a gun at 5pm

[Chantal]

Someone has just phoned Radio 2 to say "this is just a form of scrumping, we've all done it" !!!!!! $*##*%&*$$@

[Lurganspade]

Went to the plot on Tuesday to pick as I thought, lots of strawberries.
The plants were all "beaten" down, no strawberries but lots of green ones lying on the path. I thought the pigeons or pheasants were responsible, as the usual blackbird only takes a few ripe ones.
Then went to pick the Dwarf French beans, the plants were completly stripped, not even small ones left.
Then the penny finally dropped, some one had helped them selves.
Then my neighbour told me about the prog. on the TV from Staffs, all I can say is I hope they enjoyed them!!!!

[Weed]

Those of you with some form of security fence are lucky...our Council haven't the funds to put up a fence therefore we are virtually open on two sides.

The Council had some work done on land adjacent to the plot...a contractors lorry demolished part of what fence existed...when we complained their answer was.."get the vehicles number and we will claim on their insurance"

Did the contractor stop to admit to the damage?...pigs might fly!

We have had produce pinched already this year (we have minor pilfering most years)but I feel this is going to escalate...helped by all the media advertising 'free veggies' to all and sundry

[oldherbaceous]

Maybe all we can hope for, is that they pinch the veg of Gallotments allotment site and maybe they might suffer Herbicide poisoning.

[penny]

some enterprising soul has broken our padlock driven half way up the road and tipped all his builders rubbish in the road... and I thought allotments were meant to relieve stress! Penny

PS My 6 month anniversary today. I am going to take some pickies.

[retropants]

Before we had a proper gate fitted with a padlock, to be kept locked at all times, we just had a 100 yr old wooden gate, which was only locked occasionally. One year I remember our strawberry patch was raided, someone must have been in a hurry, as they left one shoe behind.
Another time, someone helped themselves to my ripe tomatoes and peppers. The tomatoes had the beginnings of blight, and had started to go brown. They were left allover the ground with bites out of them. I hope they got tummy ache. It makes me so mad