Expert Tips For Burglar-Proofing Your Garden Furniture
Gardens attract thieves because they are often easy to access and valuable loot is quite literally ready for the picking. Data from the Crime Survey for England and Wales released in 2024 reveals that 9 out of 10 household crimes were thefts committed outside the dwelling itself. In fact in 2023, a staggering 517,000 garden thefts were recorded.
Despite their weight and bulk., thieves target outdoor furniture because of their high price tags. In addition, gardens are typically treasure troves of other expensive items such as bikes, plants, and gardening equipment.
You can foil burglars’ attempts at making off with your garden furniture by ensuring that it is properly secured. This guide contains tips from a professional locksmith Bradford on how to make your garden less attractive to thieves, along with preventive measures that will make stealing your outdoor furniture more trouble than it’s worth.
7 Smart Ways to Protect Your Garden Furniture from Thieves
Just because your garden furniture is outside doesn’t mean its safety should be left to chance. There are robust security measures you can take to discourage burglars from entering your garden – and for those who still persist, make removing the items extremely difficult and frustrating.
1. Garden Storage
Some burglaries are opportunistic meaning the theft occurs simply because the opportunity presents itself under ideal conditions – no one is around, no guard dog or surveillance cameras, the item is valuable, and access to the property is easy. A simple preventive tip from our locksmith friends is to store equipment, tools, or other valuables in a shed after use. Leaving them out in the open where they can be easily spotted and taken is practically inviting thieves to help themselves.
If you don’t have a shed, it may be worth investing in one. Storing your outdoor items in a shed significantly reduces the likelihood of opportunistic theft. Moreover, if burglars do manage to enter your property, there will be far fewer items to steal when they’re safely locked away in a shed. By putting away even your basic gardening tools in the shed, you prevent burglars from using them to pry open locks or shatter glass to gain entry not only into the shed but your house as well.
Below are more tips from expert locksmiths to help maximise the use of your shed in protecting your outdoor items from theft:
- Keep it well-maintained so that thieves can’t easily break into it. Regularly check for vulnerable spots that can be used as entry points and repair them. Rotten wood must be replaced and weak points around windows and door frames must be reinforced.
- Install secure locks on the door and windows.
- Set up a shed alarm.
- Put up motion detector security lights.
Although DIY kits for alarms and security lights are available, their quality and reliability are not always guaranteed. Also, installing them requires some technical know-how. Outdoor items can be pricey, so investing in professional services to prevent them from being stolen is a wise move. Experienced locksmiths can help you choose the most suitable locks, alarms, and security lights for your needs and handle installation, maintenance, and repairs as needed.
2. Ground Anchors
If there’s not enough room in your shed to store your garden furniture, securing them in place with ground anchors is an excellent solution. There are two basic kinds: temporary and permanent, with options specifically made for both soft surfaces like soil and hard ones like wood and concrete. For best results, have them installed by a professional.
3. Outdoor Security Lights
Our locksmith advisors agree that security lighting is an effective way of scaring away intruders in general, whether they are out to steal your outdoor furniture or have other criminal agenda in mind. They are also more user-friendly and affordable than most other outdoor security systems. Iluminating your garden area leaves little to no dark areas where burglars can hide or steal items without being seen.
If you don’t want to keep your outdoor lights on throughout the night, locksmiths recommend using motion sensor security lights. These lights have a Passive Infrared (PIR) sensor that detects movement and triggers them to switch on, often startling intruders and stopping them in their tracks. The lights turning on unexpectedly is also an effective way to alert you to movement outside.
To provide the best protection against burglars, outdoor security lights should be weather-resistant and securely installed in strategic locations. Expert locksmiths can help you choose the right models and ensure that they’re properly installed in spots most vulnerable to intruders.
4. Outdoor Security Cameras
Installing surveillance cameras in the garden is one of the most effective ways of keeping intruders away. Posting signs that say your place is monitored by a CCTV system further enhances its deterrent effect.
Outdoor garden motion cameras are an ideal burglar deterrent as they have specific features such as motion detection zones ( picking up movement only within a particular area), built-in deterrents like sirens, spotlights, and two-way audio, and designs that blend in with the garden environment, making them less noticeable.
As with security lighting, expert locksmiths stress the importance of choosing reliable and high-quality security cameras that can withstand the elements and having them professionally installed.
5. Mark your Furniture
Another simple and practical tip our locksmith friends suggest is to put your postcode on your garden furniture. This does not only make it harder for burglars to sell but also increases its chances of being returned if stolen. Furthermore, the visible mark decreases its value and helps police to easily identify it as stolen property.
There are several ways to do this: using a UV marker, etching it into the furniture or applying identifiable stickers. You can also make your garden tools effectively worthless to thieves by painting a unique pattern on them. This decreases their resale value and, as with furniture, makes them easy to recognise as your own if reported missing.
6. Garden Perimeter Security
To get into your garden, burglars will first need to navigate the perimeter of your property, which is why it’s essential to secure it. If it prevents intruders from seeing or gaining access to your garden, the prospect of hauling out your garden furniture without drawing attention becomes so difficult that many would abandon the attempt altogether.
Locksmiths suggest conducting a security audit of your garden and surrounding areas to identify security gaps and weaknesses. This includes inspecting the condition of the fences, gates, walls, as well as the areas immediately outside them. A comprehensive assessment of your garden and its perimeter will reveal potential entry points intruders might use. The professional conducting the audit, typically an expert locksmith, will also offer solutions to address these security concerns.
Additional garden security tips from locksmiths include the following:
- Always make sure the fences, gates, and walls are sturdy and well-maintained.
- Regularly check for weak spots that need to be replaced or reinforced.
- Add spikes or apply anti-climb paint to increase the level of protection your gate and fences offer.
High walls naturally offer a higher level of security. In most locations, legal restrictions allow rear garden walls to be as high as two metres, usually sufficient to keep intruders out. Before carrying out any work on your property boundaries, it’s best to consult house regulations and secure planning permission to ensure compliance.
7. Take out Insurance
With garden rooms being very popular these days, many are spending money sprucing up their outdoor spaces – and outdoor furniture and plants can cost a lot. This is why it’s important to have them insured. Basic home insurance greatly varies – some may cover your garden whilst others may not or may only offer partial coverage.
Review your home insurance policy and see what garden items are covered. In some cases, high value items are not included and might have to be insured separately. Speak with your insurance agent on the best way to protect your high value outdoor investments.
Final Thoughts
Gardens are places of beauty and serenity, which is why many people invest time and money making their outdoor spaces special. Garden furniture, in particular, can be expensive and being left outdoors makes it an easy target for thieves. That’s why gardensecurity is essential. Whilst the tips above can make a big difference in reducing the risk of theft, engaging the services of professional locksmiths ensures the highest level of protection for your valuable outdoor furniture. To learn more about burglar-proofing your garden, speak to your trusted locksmith today.
