The advent of British Summer Time (BST) at the end of March (the clocks change on 30/3/14, which is also Mother's Day (don't forget either!) coincides with an increase in petty thefts and burglary.  The lighter evenings mean people are outdoors for longer, working in gardens and on their homes, or playing with children.  Unfortunately, this also means that thieves, whether targeters or opportunists, are also able to see exactly what valuables you keep in garages and outbuildings, as well as what methods of access they can "borrow" from you. Insurance company Aviva urges people to properly lock away all tools, equipment and toys every evening to make it harder for opportunists to take things straight from the garden.  Over a ten-year period, the most popular items for theft were power tools – specifically drills. 39% of thefts were for hand tools, of the type you might use for gardening and leave near your work area. It might not seem like much to lose, a trowel here, a rake there, but once thieves have identified your property as insecure they will probably be back and may come prepared next time for a bigger haul. 19% of thefts in 2012 were for big tools and equipment, including ladders, chainsaws and lawnmowers. Ladders are a very popular item for thieves to take as they can easily be sold on to unscrupulous builders, sold as scrap metal and most worryingly, used to break into your home or that of your neighbour. Even if your home is secure with all windows and doors locked, your neighbours might not be so careful and a thief could take a ladder from any garden in the street and use it to burgle next door.

And It's Not Just Ladders…

As well as ladders, burglars also use wheelie bins as a makeshift ladder to access ground and mid floor windows, so any items that could be used to gain access should be kept out of sight, preferably locked away.  The impact of the lighter evenings on thefts from sheds and gardens was a 20% rise in incidents during 2012 and 2013, so this is not just a small increase, but one worth noting. The best way to prevent items being stolen from your garden or outbuildings is not to advertise them in the first place.  If possible, use expensive equipment and tools during quiet periods, such as weekday mornings and keep these things out of sight at the weekends.  Ensure children's toys are not left lying around and that anything particularly valuable is not taken outside (electrical goods, for example). Keep garage doors closed as much as possible, so people can't see what you are storing in there. Additional measures you can take to protect the property you store outdoors is to security mark valuables such as bikes, ladders and tools with a UV pen.  Write your name and number somewhere it will not be rubbed off and then if you are burgled, but the property is found, the police may be able to return your items to you. Joining the Neighbourhood Watch scheme also acts as a deterrent, as opportunists don't want to be seen committing a crime.  Ladders should be kept indoors if possible, but if kept outdoors should be locked away, perhaps also locked to a wall mounted ladder rack to prevent theft, even if the shed or garage is broken into. Everything you have been using outside should be put away and secured properly, keep as much indoors as you have space for, and get the kids involved in putting away their own toys. Once you're safe in the knowledge that nothing has been left lying around for the taking, you can enjoy the sunny evening and hopefully the next sunny day.