The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Garden Lighting With the Winter Solstice days away, what better time...
In the era of battery power tools that can cut through most security measures in minutes, if not seconds, making a wooden garden shed impenetrable is simply impossible.
Our goal is to delay and deter would be burglars, not stop one who is willing to create a large amount of disturbance for an extended time (a small minority).
In this article we rate security measures on that basis, whilst also considering the cost and day-to-day disruption of such measures.
4/5
4/5 - Security Gates/Grills
Pros: Inobtrusive, whole-shed security, effective deterrent
Cons: Some vulnerable to lever attacks
Security Gates/Grills are invaluable when used as part of a multi-layer security system. Picture your would be thief breaking the front door of a shed, only to be confronted with a metal grid and alarm siren blaring. Most will cut their losses and run, which is why we rate these products as 4/5.
However without a siren, the burglar might continue undeterred. Security grills are only as strong as their mechanism, in most cases a padlock, which is susceptible to pick and leverage attacks.
4/5
4/5 - Alarmed CCTV
Pros: Effective alert mechanism & time limiter
Cons: Will be ignored by some
Most modern Security Camera systems can be set to alarm cameras for set periods (e.g. overnight and throughout the weekend). If motion (or “human” motion) is detected inside a shed during the alarmed hours, the camera can sound a siren, and trigger sirens on any linked cameras (e.g. outside the shed, around the garden). Some systems even offer a standalone sirens to greatly increase the noise (as per the adjacent video).
If the shed is left unlocked during Garden Operations, and a miscreant takes advantage of this opportunity to steal something, at least the camera will capture footage of the event.
Whilst little different to an alarm system in terms of deterrence, the set-and-forget nature of a camera-alarm schedule, with the added benefit of recording footage of the intruder, makes us rate alarmed shed cameras highly.
4/5
4/5 - Window Bars
Pros: Fairly essential to secure shed windows
Cons: Only as strong as the fixings
Windows are arguably the most vulnerable part of a sheds security, with every element (single pane glass/perspex, small hinges, simple locks) vulnerable to attack.
The simplest way to secure a shed is by installing metal bars across the window. They come in various shapes and sizes, from cost-effective bars secured on either side of each bar (as pictured), to more secure frames covering the whole window (though they are only as strong as the side panels of the shed).
We rate window bars highly as a cost effective way of securing a shed, that also allow windows to be left ajar (for ventilation – e.g when storing fertilisers) as and when required.
3.5/5
3.5/5 - Key Locks
Pros: Most are superior to padlocks
Cons: Plenty of bad locks out there
Some sheds forgo padlocks for key locks, traditionally with Eurocylinder or deadbolt locks.
Whilst many Eurocylinder locks (often used in mortice locks, deadbolts and long-throw-locks) are particularly vulnerable to raking, bumping or, as shown in the adjacent video, snapping. However higher security Euro cylinders (with sacrificial sections, magnetic pins, etc) are widely available and easy to retrofit.
5-level deadlocks can be used where vulnerability about a Eurocylinder lock remain. Leaf doors must be adequately secured on the fixed side to stop locks simply being pulled open.
In most cases a professionally installed lock will be more secure than an external padlock and latch, however it does little to protect other vulnerabilities of a shed door (exposed hinges, etc) and for that reason scores 3.5 out of 5.
3/5
3/5 - Floor Anchors
Pros: Inexpensive, inobtrusive, relatively secure
Cons: Only as good as the padlock / chain
For Gardens with expensive Garden Equipment stored in their shed (such as new electric backpack blowers / mowers) its also worth considering installing permanent anchor locations inside the shed, providing that is, the shed is installed on a concrete base.
We prefer Motorbike style anchors that recess into a sloped housing when not-in-use to reduce the trip-hazard.
Whilst they’re only as good as the chain and padlock, they’re an internal security measure, that when combined with an alarm / siren, reduce the odds a burglar will take the time to steal secured equipment.
3/5
3/5 - Tool Safes
Pros: Relatively secure option, not too expensive
Cons: Space inefficient
Youtube and Social Media is littered with videos of tradespeople bemoaning their tool-safe being broken into either in the back of a van or on a jobsite, but they should not be discounted.
As with Door Grills, whilst they won’t survive a prolonged attack, they will delay a miscreant from accessing valuable tools, and if combined with sirens and flashing lights, might stop the theft altogether.
They nevertheless lose 1 star vs security grills, as the profile of the tool-safes mean they take up a lot of fixed floor space in the Shed, so can prove a hassle, especially in smaller spaces – 3 out of 5 stars.
2.5/5
2.5/5 - External Cameras
Pros: Serves as a deterrent for a subset
Cons: Plenty of miscreants disregard
Cameras that respond to motion, especially those with bright spotlights (as shown) can serve as a deterrent outside the shed, showing the prospective burglar the Garden takes security a little seriously.
Unfortunately, despite cameras continually increasing in quality/resolution, miscreants seem less-and-less bothered about having their footage / likeness recorded on video.
If already investing in a wider camera system, the marginal cost of an additional camera outside the shed is low, and we would therefore recommend it. Though for the limitations we’ve provided, we are only rating it 2.5 / 5 stars.
2/5
2/5 - Alarm Systems
Pros: Cheap way to alarm a shed
Cons: Prone to false alarms, added hassle for gardeners
DIY Alarm kits offer a simple way to alarm a Garden shed, following our principal approach of deterring delayed miscreants.
However the key components of such systems (motion sensors, door sensors) can be prone to false alerts in drafty, spider-infested sheds. Furthermore, security relies on Garden Staff / Volunteers to continually remember to set the system before leaving, which we would suggest is less reliable than a camera system that alarms on schedule.
Finally alarm systems are of no use when unarmed, whereas a cameras can still be set to record footage – for that reason we’re giving Alarm Systems 2 / 5 Stars.
2/5
2/5 - Padlocks
Pros: The simplest way of securing a shed
Cons: Rarely secure or attached to secure things
In a darkish corner of Youtube lies a channel that will forever undermine your confidence in Locks – Lockpicking Lawyer (LPL).
Unfortunately he, like other lockpicking vloggers, LPL holds particular disdain for the majority of padlocks on the market, that they continually demonstrate can be levered, decoded, shimmed or even slapped open.
As a first line of defence (i.e. one a burglar can work away on slowly, with no alarms / sirens triggered yet), padlocks are especially worse. The whole situation is compounded by many Garden Squares using the same 4-digit security code.
2/5
2/5 - Padlock Latches
Pros: Cheap and easy to fit
Cons: Very vulnerable to lever/twist attacks
Unfortunately as another video from the Lockpicking Lawyer shows, the two main parts of a padlock latch, the staple and the hasp, are both susceptible to twist and levering attacks. As the only lock on a shed they offer little protection from burglars, who can break such latches with minimal fuss, noise, and no use of power tools.
Useful for keeping curious ratepayers out, though offer little protection from experience burglars. The weakest point of the first line of defence that will frequently compromise even high end padlocks.
We’d score Latches 1/5 were it not for a small subset of models (e.g. “Y-Anchor” variants) offering superior protection.