Securing your workshop

[martinlt1000]

Well, after building my workshop over the past few months and sorting out all my tools (with a french cleat system), it seems I turned it into a veritable palace for some thieving b******s who broke in last night. Seven power tools were taken and I'm now looking at beefing up the security (was a single padlock on hasp) and keen to take any advice to prevent this happening again when I replace the tools.

So far this morning I've ordered an alarm and an extra door defender to block the double doors to the front.

Any tips/ideas welcome - I'm contemplating leaving my german shepherd in there overnight tonight in case they decide to return for more of my tools.

 

[DBT85]

Sorry to hear that. Utter scum.

Some kind of camera that's visible, a light that illuminates the doors on a PIR, noisy as hell alarm, locks that can't just be cut through with a silent tool like bolt cutters.

 

[TheUnicorn]

sorry to here about your break in, soul destroying.

a friend had a break into his garage, and then a repeat incident a few months later, once all the tools had been replaced.

He now has a heavy metal bar gate / door that goes over the existing door, and has a security hasp setup wherein the padlock is covered by a metal shield on all sides apart from the bottom, so near impossible to attack it with a grinder or bolt cutters

worth considering a camera setup, and clearing any lines of sight so any potential intruders are more likely to be seen

 

[Spectric]

Padlock on hasp is vunerable. With security start furthest from your workshop and put yourself in the thieving b******s shoes. How easy was it for them to gain entry to the property, was it nice and dark so they could sneak in? PIR Lighting is always a good start, if an unwanted enters then they really do not want to be illuminated and suddenly be in full view. Layers of security work better than relying on just one, so a more secure sidegate for example to make access to your workshop harder. Cameras can be good and always use in pairs, so one covers the other. This way they see one and as they try to avoid it catching them they get seen by the other one. Alarms can be good but not wireless, and anything that can be triggered to cause a noise will deter the thieving b******s .

With double doors you need secure bolts on one on the inside both top and bottom and don't overlook the hinges, can be a weak point and become a hinge. When I last secured a pair of double doors I had a steel post at each corner that was concreted into the ground and heavy steel bars that could be locked in place that went right across both doors so no way they could be opened. Also the hinges were fabricated with 25mm steel pins.

Now last line of defence is to sign up to someone like Smartwater, Divisions - The SmartWater Group and use their liquid on all your tools and once dried it is invisable. Put it into ribs and hard to reach spots and it will never come off but is traceable back to yourself, part of this package is signage that needs to be displayed in various locations to warn potential thieving b******s that anygoods taken are traceable and so become high risk to handle and many police forces check stolen goods with UV to see if they are marked, just like lead on church roofs and scrapyards now also check metals received as do the police during raids.

 

[Jameshow]

Sorry to hear it.

How about a big dog?

CCTV?

PIR lighting.

Gates on drive?

Cheers James

 

[martinlt1000]

Thanks for the advice folks. PIR lighting and camera - on the case, going to get that sorted asap. Unfortunately hard to secure access - they came in over my wall from a neighbours property and I'm limited in options. Nice idea on marking all the tools - I'll look into that as well. I'm tempted to fit a steel bar across both doors and fixed through the walls of the shed - will make it all damn ugly though.

Gutted gutted gutted.

I have a big dog - german shepherd - but he sleeps in the house, I am tempted to let him kip up in the workshop for a few nights until I improve the security.

 

[DBT85]

over my wall from a neighbours property and I'm limited in options

Spiky walls seem appropriate. Barbs. Poisoned tips.

 

[Rorschach]

Really sorry to hear it. The ironic thing is that you are now much less likely to be hit again as in most areas there is only 1 burglar who targets the area and they know that you will improve security so they won't bother again.

 

[martinlt1000]

Really sorry to hear it. The ironic thing is that you are now much less likely to be hit again as in most areas there is only 1 burglar who targets the area and they know that you will improve security so they won't bother again.

Not sure about that - my neighbour kindly informed me that this is the second time they've been hit now. Whilst I want to wait to improve security before replacing the tools, I need the tools to improve the security :-( chicken and egg!

 

[Tris]

If it's your wall take a look at prikka strips, makes the top less appealing as a point of entry.

Anything that makes your shed a bit harder to get into than the one in the next street helps.

Worth putting a camera at low level, get a decent angle up under the hoodie they will have pulled halfway down their faces

 

[Rorschach]

Not sure about that - my neighbour kindly informed me that this is the second time they've been hit now. Whilst I want to wait to improve security before replacing the tools, I need the tools to improve the security :-( chicken and egg!

Did they do any upgrades in between though? Most people do something like add lights/CCTV as soon as they have been burgled and that's all the deterrent needed. If you don't do anything visible then you are usually hit again within 2 months (I think that was the time frame) because the burglar knows the insurance will have paid out by then and there will be new things to nick.

 

[TheUnicorn]

Did they do any upgrades in between though? Most people do something like add lights/CCTV as soon as they have been burgled and that's all the deterrent needed. If you don't do anything visible then you are usually hit again within 2 months (I think that was the time frame) because the burglar knows the insurance will have paid out by then and there will be new things to nick.

couldn't have put it better myself

 

[martinlt1000]

Did they do any upgrades in between though? Most people do something like add lights/CCTV as soon as they have been burgled and that's all the deterrent needed. If you don't do anything visible then you are usually hit again within 2 months (I think that was the time frame) because the burglar knows the insurance will have paid out by then and there will be new things to nick.

Good point, from what I can tell they resigned themselves to the shed being insecure and moved anything expensive elsewhere (in their house I presume). Security looked pretty ***** and from the proximity of their shed to my workshop I'm guessing theirs was first then with nothing in there of value they turned their attention to mine. Thieving scum.

 

[jcassidy]

Sorry to hear about your tools. Scumsuckers will probably have them up on online sites tomorrow... Unfortunately I think the likelihood of a second robbery are higher now as they know you have a workshop and tools, and they know how to get in and out.

Cameras are not a deterrant control, they are a detective control, and quite honestly, bringing some grainey B&W footage of a lad in a mask to the Police and saying "this is the guy that stole my tools' is not going to get you far, and the thieves know this.

I would put my money towards lighting, visible security like big f**k-off bars, anchored well, big locks, and a loud alarm. You may consider look at some 'crime prevention through environmental design' ideas like aforementioned lighting, planting some thorny bushes along your borders, making the fence higher or topping it with anti-intrusion measures.

If you are away from the property for any length of time, such as vacation, bring your tools into the house.

Applying those markers liquids is also an excellent deterrant, as Spectric said. Depends on how valuable your tools are.
Just some ideas!

 

[pe2dave]

Alarms can be good but not wireless,

An odd statement surely? Why not wireless please?

 

[Spectric]

Wireless can be jammed or interfered with. All manufacturers have to declare what frequency their equipment uses and if you transmit at that frequency with more power it can be jamed. Used to be an issue for automotive security until they used rolling codes so anyone snatching a code it was of no use, unfortunately now they break into the house to steal the keys or steal the key code from the key.

You cannot beat hardwired, done properly it is not known for false triggering and in my opinion gives peace of mind. Like so much these days people opt for wireless because it is easy, no real installation or running cables and the like but easy fit easy to beat.

 

[pe2dave]

I'm not convinced many tea leaves would go to that trouble for a workshop / shed / garage.

 

[Spectric]

These devices are not hard to come by because they know where to obtain and tools, garden machinery and bikes are good sellers within their community. The best people to ask for good security advice are the scumbags who are now straight, there was a program on Tv where a previous crook iscussed various aspects of peoples property, which would be targets and the ones to avoid, almost like a science to them.

 

[jcassidy]

Most modern wireless alarms come with cycling frequencies and jamming detection, which will trigger the alarm. Mine does, for example.

That said, I don't see the need if the workshop has power. Wiring up a workshop, you can leave the wires exposed, just nailed the wall. Can't do that in a 2 storey house!

Advantage of a wireless system.would be in getting messages that the alarm is going off. F**k all use if you're away from home, unless you have a neighbour who can come check for you. Unlikely at 2am, right?

 

[shed9]

I have a big dog - german shepherd - but he sleeps in the house, I am tempted to let him kip up in the workshop for a few nights until I improve the security.

Given the current situation in Wales with pet theft they will likely take the dog as well as the tools.