Selfsufficientish.com

So sorry to hear of your break-ins HappyHippy, unfortunately we've been there, got the badge, caught the burglars. It is very demoralising but please don't let it get to you just yet.
Is there any kind of pattern at all, school holidays, that sort of stuff that might point to a return visit.
Are there any remotely likely local suspects that can be checked out on faceache (it's amazing what friends of friends post).
Regarding the perimeter fence, is it possible to smear it with trreacle (it's sticky and legal and will put them off). Also plant as many brambles as you can.
Can any of the sheds be seen from someones home. Leave lamps and torches in there and with any luck they'll turn them on.

Yes we discussed planting more prickly type shrubs around the fencing but as we've only been open a year,they will take a while to grow.We were hit a couple of weeks ago,and also in May this year and yes its very demoralising.The treacle idea sounds good!lol (Cheap too!)I've also had a look at shed alarms via some websites so will buy one shortly.I am in two minds about getting a camera but havent found any cheapies as yet.If I do buy one and we get hit again and I have images I will obviously hand those over to the cops and also post the pic on our towns local FB news page!

Hi Happyhippy ...

For goodness sake, don't waste your money on one camera. In daylight anyone can see where it points, and then it's a simple matter to approach it from behind and cut the video cable - result: no camera (either in effect or literally - people nick cameras). At MINIMUM, you need two, angled so that each is in the field of view of the other. They protect one another as a result. But even then, the most they usually show you is that someone has been there (which you already knew). Identification from anything but clear, close-up video is a legal waste of time. And remember that a camera is a real-time thing - if you don't also have a recording device, it's pointless - and recording devices cost more than the cameras.

I don't mean to be a wet blanket, but people do tend to expect miracles from cameras. Physical deterrence is much more effective, but by far the best thing is not to leave anything around which is worth stealing.

Mike

there is actually some special stuff you can get that you paint onto fences which leaves a really sticky mess on the hands, our allotments where i used to live had that green fencing with the spikes on top which the council sorted out. I don't know how much space you have there, but a lorry body could contain everyones tools and can be locked down with a closed hasp padlock.

Zombies!

You can now buy a battery operated PIR that sends a text to your mobile and phones three other numbers to leave a pre-recorded message. The audible alarm facility can be switched off. Quite a few stockists list them as mini texting alarm.

Those are fine, CM, if you can adjust the sensitivity to exclude triggers from any animals smaller than a fair-sized dog. Otherwise birds, rabbits, foxes and even moths if they're close enough will set off an alarm.

I just looked at one of these things, you put a pay as you go sim into it, it also rings you up so as you can hear any activity

We have no electricity up on our site,so anything we use will have to be battery operated.Quite a few of us will install "hidden"camera's inside out sheds,disguised in say a box of fertiliser!lol Others will install the alarms,in hope that once a couple go off if getting burgled it will be enough to deter anyone,should they be thinking of going any further. Yes I have heard of those text type ones too,we discussed those at the meeting last Friday.Thanks all for your suggestions.

I suppose H and S would stop traps being laid to catch them.
Treacle and feathers or paint that can't be removed.
It should make them stand out in the crowd.

Yes someone mentioned traps but we have a nice selection of wildlife passing through and god forbid the H&S laws!!!!

I do the administration for our allotments and have not really taken it very seriously when people have said they have had things stolen, until the "b___s" stole all my apples!

every one has thier (prison) breaking point I suppose