Property marking helps police reunite you with any stolen property and is also a real deterrent to thieves.

If an item is marked a thief will probably not steal it because it will be much harder to sell. After all, when there is lots of unmarked property around it's easier to steal that instead.

Mark your property

Police advise to check your outbuilding security after several thefts in South Warwickshire

Warwickshire Police are advising that people check the security of their outbuildings after several thefts from stables, barns and sheds have been reported.

~Most sheds are inherently weak, so do not to store valuable items of property in them.
~Ideally, sheds and garages should be connected to the house alarm, but if this cannot be achieved, suitable battery operated alarms are available from the Police Station at a low cost.
~Always lock your shed
~Fit a good quality padlock. Ensure the hasp is bolted through the shed and into a steel plate. Secure up-and-over garage doors with padlocks through the inside runners, or fit a padlock (with hasp and staple) to either side of the door.
~Remember it is items that are easily carried off that are most popular with thieves who get into your shed. These ought to be locked away in a secure cabinet and marked with a house number and postcode. Consider having lockable steel boxes fitted to the floor to store your tools
~Larger items can be shackled together with a bike chain or similar. Similarly high value items such as bicycles and lawn mowers should be shackled together, ideally to the fabric of the building or to a metal post cemented into the ground.

Research shows that thieves often take tools such as ladders and spades, from a garage or shed, to help them break into a house. Ladders ought to be secured to a secure fixture. A spade can be shackled to another larger item through its handle.
Try to site your shed within view
Visibly mark all removable items with your postcode and house number. Or use ultra violet marker pens available free of charge from the Police Station for this purpose.
Replace ordinary screws on outbuilding doors with non-return screws or coach bolts. Glue, smeared over the heads of screws, may stop the thief from unscrewing them.

~Make a note of make/model/serial number of tools and bicycles
~Obscure the window of your shed/garage to prevent thieves seeing what you have inside
~Consider joining your local Neighbourhood Watch (01926 415716)
Remember all stolen goods are sold on. There is a lucrative market for items such as these.

Police remind householders that they should keep front and back doors to their homes closed and locked, even when they are in the house.

Also following the recent mild weather police take the opportunity to remind people to ensure patio doors are closed and locked and that downstairs windows are closed at night time or when you are out of the house.

PC Andy Marchi of the Northern Community Safety Unit said, "It all too easy to leave the door ajar when you nip out into the garden for a few moments, but then you become distracted and wander further down the garden or round the side of the house, or go into the shed and you can no longer see the door. It then becomes an easy target for an opportunist burglar who will be into your house and out again with your purse, wallet or other valuable items in a matter of seconds.

With a minor increase in quad bike thefts in the area, we would like to know that you are making it as hard as possible for offenders to easily acquire them, specific attention should be taken in securing your vehicles either by means of a ground bolt lock or inside a secure premises, keys should always be kept in a separate location to the vehicle.
Be aware of any strangers visiting your property, as this is usually a precursor to a potential theft.
As with any production vehicle a chassis or VIN number will be available for you to record, you can also use a property marking system (eg:- SmartWater) as this information can be invaluable in recovery and return of property.
If you believe it to be stolen: REPORT IT, help us to help you.....

Chris has 11 years service with Warwickshire Police this year and has worked on the Wellesbourne Safer Neighbourhood team for 7 years. Chris has performed many duties in his career, including Acting Sergeant role, Public Order at the G8 in Scotland in 2005, G6 summit and the G4 Summit. Chris has experience in Public order, Police Evidence Gathering, Football Duties, Drugs Unit, Community Policing, Emergency Response Policing and is also a Tutor Constable.

Warwickshire residents can keep a check on crime levels in their communities through a new crime mapping system which has just been launched in the county.

Crime mapping is part of a Home Office initiative which will eventually be available in all 43 police forces across England and Wales giving members of the public easy access to local crime data.