How to protect your garage and outbuildings

Garages are often no more secure than a garden shed; both of which are used to store valuables like power tools, bikes and often vehicles. If your garage is attached to your house, pay particular attention to the door between the garage and then house as this could be used to gain entry to your home.

The following steps can be taken to increase the security of your garage or outbuilding –

• Install security lighting – a low energy light with dawn to dusk sensor capacity would be cheap to run and deter crime. It provides a psychological sense of security and will deter criminals as it increases their chance of being noticed.
• Alarms – Fit an alarm to your garage or shed, there are many alarms on the market but a simple alarm should suffice. An alarm will alert you to any unlawful activity and will deter criminals from targeting your property. Kent Police may be able to supply you with a PIR sensor alarm.
• Anchor point – Install an anchor point inside of your garage to secure items like motorbikes or ladders with a padlock.
• Property marking – Marking your property will make it difficult to be sold on. You can mark your property by altering the design of it by etching your companies name/ personal name or getting it professionally marked and registered on an online database.
• Locks – To ensure that all doors/windows are locked when these buildings are unoccupied. Alarm padlocks are recommended for sheds as they will sound when tampered with therefore causing criminals to flee before they can cause any damage.
• CCTV – There are a variety of CCTV options available for domestic properties. Surveillance measures ensure you can keep an eye on your property at all times. It is also important to have signage in place that CCTV is being used on your property to make it clear that trespassers will be noticed.
• Secure By Design contains a list of ACPO approved trading companies who will be able to other accredited systems for securing buildings – www.securebydesign.com

You can report emergencies to Kent Police by calling 999.

You can report non emergencies or make enquiries with Kent Police by calling 101 or visiting our website – www.kent.police.uk

If you would like to speak with your local officer about crime or suspicious activity within your area, you can do so by contacting via email [email protected]