Don't let your garden be an easy target for green-fingered thieves

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Now that spring has arrived and the Easter weekend is just around the corner, opportunistic thieves may turn to outdoor spaces and outbuildings for easy pickings. esure home insurance urges Brits to review their level of home security and insurance cover.

According to research by esure home insurance¹, nine in ten (93 per cent) homeowners polled regularly leave items out in the garden overnight including jet washers, children’s toys and garden tools². A lack of storage space is the key reason given by homeowners for not locking away their belongings and allowing their garden to be a treasure trove for opportunistic thieves.

In fact, a third of homeowners (30 per cent) are storing non-garden related items, which would usually be found within the home, in less secure outbuildings such as the garden shed due to a lack of storage space within the home – almost turning their gardens into 'spare rooms'.

The combined lack of storage space and a lack of motivation to improve basic garden security may be to blame for many garden thefts in the UK. The survey highlighted that 69 per cent of homeowners have never thought about improving the security of their gardens.

Mike Pickard, Head of Risk and Underwriting at esure home insurance, said: "Brits may spend a great deal of time, money and effort on making their gardens attractive but they also need to think about security too. Taking a few simple steps can reduce the chances of becoming a victim of garden crime – such as the use of security lighting or prickly hedging as deterrents.

Homeowners should also check the terms and limits of their home insurance policies. Some cover could be too low, especially in the event of an ‘outdoor’ theft where a shed is bulging with valuables or the lawn is strewn with desirables that are easy to snatch."

esure has put together some simple steps to secure your garden this summer:

Keep an inventory of items kept in your garden and outbuildings, with photographs if possible, to help in the event of any claim.
Make sure that shed doors are fitted with a good strong padlock and are solid enough not to be easily kicked in or broken into.
Make sure that garden tools and ladders are locked securely away - they can be used by thieves to break into other outdoor buildings and your home.
Check that your hedges are compact and provide a good barrier but that they are not too high and conceal the view. Some hedges may look green and healthy at the top but have holes and dead wood lower down which are easily crawled though – so make some checks. A thorny hedge is an ideal deterrent.
When putting up a shed position it with the windows facing the garden rather than the street so that its contents aren't displayed.
Check fences for missing or loose planks and panels so as not to give thieves easy access to your property.
'Noisy' surfaces, such as crunchy gravel, can act as a deterrent to thieves.
Add security lighting.
Tidy up each night - use lockable sheds, garages and outbuildings for storage.

esure will cover claims up to £2,500 for contents in the garden and up to £2,000 for items in outbuildings.

-ends-

esure's press contacts:

Asia Manzoor, Public Relations Officer: 01737 641305
Niki Bolton, Corporate Communications Manager: 01737 235070
Emma Lloyd, Assistant Communications Officer: 01737 641309
Adrian Webb, Head of Corporate Communications: 01737 641000
Email: pr@esure.com
Case studies are available on request.

Notes to Editors:

ICM Research interviewed a random sample of 936 adults aged 18+ by telephone between 2nd – 3rd April 2008. Interviews were conducted across the country and the results have been weighted to the profile of all adults. ICM is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules. Further information at www.icmresearch.co.uk
List of items regularly left out overnight in gardens across the UK:
1. Jet washer / house pipes (19 per cent)
2. Children’s toys (14 per cent)
3. Garden tools (13 per cent)
4. Bicycles (8 per cent)
5. DIY equipment (6 per cent)

About esure:

esure was launched in 2001. The company offers car, home, pet and travel insurance over the internet and by phone. esure also offers car insurance cover through the brands Halifax, Sainsbury's, Sheilas' Wheels and more recently home insurance through the Sheilas' Wheels brand.

Sponsorship:

esure has secured two of the UK's most iconic sponsorships: the ITV National and Channel 4 Weather bulletins.

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