Tuesday 20th March marks the first day of spring and with the days getting noticeably longer people are keen to get out and about.

As the weather heats up, opportunist thieves will start to look out for open windows, insecure sheds, gardening tools left out and new bikes purchased at Christmas.

If people don’t know you have a valuable bike or equipment in your shed, they are unlikely to put much effort into breaking in. Install as many security measures as possible. The harder you can make a thief work, and the longer it takes them to break in, the more likely they are to give up.

The Chiltern and South Bucks Community Safety Partnership are keen to help residents protect their property and offer these simple tips:

• If your shed has a window – cover it up / obscure the view or blank it out.
• Lock valuable items together to prevent them being removed easily.
• A security light fitted with a movement sensor can also be a deterrent.
• Toughen up the door hinges-choose one with a hinged cover for securing or take out the screws, replace the screws with nuts and bolts or security screws.
• Use a good quality padlock or mortice lock on the door of your shed.
• Consider using Bike Register www.bikeregister.com which is the UK’s leading online bicycle identification and registration initiative aiming to reduce cycle theft and used by every UK Police Force.
• Register your valuables at www.immobilise.com including photos and serial numbers and distinguishing features. Should your items get stolen, they may be identified by this information and returned to you if recovered.

As the “Beast from the East” makes its presence felt please do take a moment to think about any elderly or otherwise vulnerable neighbours you might have and check that they are ok.
If you’re out and about, remember to take warm clothes and some snack and drinks, as well as appropriate footwear – and a snow shovel if you have one.
And stay at home if you don’t need to be anywhere.
It is nearly Spring, honest…