Keep your garden on lockdown to keep thieves at bay

Homeowners are being reminded to take extra care of outdoor belongings as 44% more garden theft claims were received during the summer of 2019 compared to the colder months at the beginning of this year.

Lloyds Bank Home Insurance received 147 claims from May to July 2019 compared to only 82 from January to March 2020.

After an evening or weekend spent enjoying sunshine in the garden, it’s easy to leave belongings outside without storing them away securely.

With garden centres and DIY shops starting to open and people thinking about taking up cycling, outdoor spaces might have items of higher value at the moment, with new garden furniture, BBQs and even a new bike. 

Tim Downes, Senior Claims Manager, Lloyds Bank Home Insurance, said: “Having the right level of cover for outdoor items can often be overlooked, but it’s just as important to have them insured as they can be as expensive as indoor belongings. 

“Even though most of us are spending more time at home, possessions left outside in plain sight of burglars can still be an easy target.

“Taking a few simple steps such as locking away garden furniture at night and making sure that sheds are properly secured, means that homeowners can have extra peace of mind.”

Lloyds Bank Home Insurance is offering tips to help homeowners protect properties over the warmer months:

1.    Lock up: secure access to your garden by using internal bolts or padlocks on garden gates to make sure unwanted entry cannot be easily gained

2. Tag it: mark items with an ultra-violet pen to help trace them if stolen
3. Lock down: put away tools and equipment that could be used to break into homes and lock away items such as garden ornaments, furniture  and bikes when they are not being used

4.    Hidden from sight: avoid leaving spare keys to the home or outbuildings in obvious areas, such as under plant pots beside doors: thieves can predict where they might be hidden, so don’t make it easier for them

5.    Shady behaviour: don’t plant tall trees or shrubs around a garden gate as this can provide the perfect cover for thieves 

6.    Garden cover: make sure you have adequate home insurance which also covers belongings in the garden