Outdoor thefts rise 21 per cent as winter tips offered

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 24 Oct, 06:09 · Archive

Thefts from outside homes rose by 21 per cent to around 791,000 incidents in the year to March 2026, according to the Office for National Statistics.

Thefts from outside homes, classified as 'other household theft' by the Office for National Statistics, rose by 21 per cent to around 791,000 incidents in the year to March 2026. The stolen items range from garden tools and furniture to power washers, bikes, garden ornaments and cars on driveways.

Experts including Christopher Murphy, founder of garden buildings company Dunster House, and the Royal Horticultural Society recommend several preventive measures. These include checking fencing before winter for rotting panels, securing gates with good locks, and ensuring side and rear access points are not easily bypassed. Hedges can provide an effective barrier, particularly conifers and thorny shrubs such as hawthorn, barberry and pyracantha.

Garden tools and items left outside should be removed or secured, as they can help intruders access outbuildings or houses. Ladders, garden furniture and wheelie bins should not be positioned near outbuildings or fences where they could be used to climb over. Overgrown shrubs that could provide cover should be cut back.

Larger plants, containers and ornaments can be secured using land anchors, which are permanent stakes that items can be bolted or chained to. Movement detectors attached to expensive items can trigger an alarm if they are moved.

How it is being reported

• 5 ways to prevent outdoor burglaries as reports rise by 20 per cent in a yearHere are some top tips to provide protection against potential burglars in Worcestershire this winterWorcester News · 24 Oct, 05:00
• 5 ways to prevent outdoor burglaries as reports rise by 20 per cent in a yearHere are some top tips to provide protection against potential burglars in Worcestershire this winterMalvern Gazette · 24 Oct, 05:00

In this story: Office for National Statistics · Christopher Murphy · Dunster House · Royal Horticultural Society · Worcestershire

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