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Bike stolen from back garden. Need gate lock solutions.

Hello,

We just got back from a family funeral to find our bike stolen from the back garden which was padlocked out of site. image We are renting, so the gate can't be changed, but maybe we can add something, so we are after ideas, of how we can make it safer/secure. Currently it is a solid 6ft gate. It has two bolts on the inside. One is at the top and one at the very bottom. Unfortunately the bottom one is misaligned so was open. This means anyone can just put a hand over and unlock the gate. image

I am wondering if we re align the bottom on and add a middle one and maybe but a large heavy duty padlock on that, it will deter people? What do other people have?

 

 

 

Posts

  • Yeah I wondered about putting cctv signs or beware of the dog signs up? we aew contacting all the local bike shops to keep a look out and thought about posting it on facebook, it's a very distinctive bike, so fingers crossed.

    It's very annoying, but I'm more worried about them coming back whilst I'm out gardening in the back. So want to sort the lock out.

  • Yeah, we think it's unlikely the police will find it, so we are taking it upon ourselves to search gumtree and ebay daily and as I say contact the local shops.

    That must have been extremely frustrating Edd! Sorry image

    Off to the hardware store tomorrow I think to look at gate locks, not really my idea of a fun day out though.

     

  • Ohh thats a cool go cart image

  • Fishy65Fishy65 Posts: 2,276

    MM - that's just awful. I hope they are caught and your bike returned but judging by the stories here and my own experiences with police investigations,I wouldn't hold your breath. Maybe a 'beware of dog' sign and actually get a dog? I've heard that dogs barking is a major deterrent to low-lives like this.

  • Thanks everyone. Yes we would actually love a dog, but not for this reason, but we both work full time, so it would be unfair. Signs will have to do and a nice sturdy padlock!

    Not going to be very relaxing in the garden tomorrow.

  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190

    The police are half useless and half corrupt, the best they can do is give you a claim number, they don't even come to houses down here after a robbery.

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • You can get padlocks which are designed for use without a key - simply a combination of numbers which, when aligned on the barrel part, enable you to unlock by clicking a little button on the bottom of the padlock. I'd suggest that you might look at these, and maybe also consider a padlock and chain on the bike itself. 

    One problem which arises when thieves can do their "thing" out of sight, is that they have the time to work at it without anyone noticing.  The best thing you can do - and this was some good advice from the police and loss adjusters after theft of my property -  is that you use several devices/locks which would make it take far longer for them. 

    As far as keys are concerned, there are several makes of "key box" available nowadays.  These are fixed to the wall of a property and (like some padlocks) can be accessed by aligning a number-code.  You sometimes see these boxes at properties which are occupied by elderly people who have carers visits - the carer will have been given the key-code and so there's no need to have copies of keys made for their use.  Any shop/store which sells disability aids would have them, and I guess that you could find them on the internet as well.

    Also  (and this is nothing really to do with the original query)  - it's a good idea  - when you move house - to change all the external locks to your "new" property, as you never know who might have had access in the past.

  • CCTV sign.   And a padlock with a combination code so you don't have to bother with keys.

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