Public Servant Lifestyle

Top tips to help secure garages, sheds, tools and ladders:

1. To boost the security of your home, take care never to leave valuables - in particular tools - on display through a garage or shed window. What cannot be seen by a cursory inspection is likely to be ignored.

2. Remember, your outbuildings are always going to be less secure than your home, so any equipment that could have any potential as housebreaking implements should be locked up and kept from view.

3. Consider using paper, or one of the commercially available films, to cover all windows into sheds and garages.

4. Garage doors should be kept locked at all times and made secure by padlocking the track that they swing open on before going on holidays, or during long periods of disuse.

5. Other items - such as lawnmowers, ladders - including stepladders - bicycles, sports equipment and even children's play equipment - should be fixed to something bulky, wherever possible.

6. The above items should be marked as well. A number of commercially available paints can be used to mark property kept outside.

More information available in Outside Living, Home Security, Garden