How can I make a wooden shed more secure without drawing attention to it?

shed shackle

Internal steel frame with gate behind the door. Ground anchor set into a concrete block in the ground. Big expensive chain and a bike cage inside for extra security. Then add a wifi webcam that emails pictures on motion detection and an alarm that activates a huge flood light and siren.

Consider capturing a big angry badger and keeping him in there too.

I think a loud alarm is probably the best thing you could fit, followed by the biggest chain and lock you can afford.

line it with chicken wire.

put metal plates behinf the hinge boles inside the shed to stop them beign pulled through the wood.

fit chubb lock into the doors and a london bar into the frame.

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Consider capturing a big angry badger and keeping him in there too

an angry badger earlier;

line it with chicken wire.

and connect it to 240v mains 😈

Depends how far you want to go, some of these suggestions are more practical than others:

Security light and alarm.

Panel the inside or add a steel security cage.

Add bars to the inside of any windows. I used a couple of old iron gates that were left behind by the previous owners.

Any external screws should be replaced by fittings that can’t be unscrewed

Curtains/blinds/bits of old cloth so you can’t see into the shed, better if these also obscure the bars as well.

Reinforce the door frame and add a proper heavy duty door with deadlocks top and bottom, (keyholes would be barely noticeable from a distance), then add a normal padlock on the outside.

Make sure the roof cannot be easily lifted/levered off.

If the shed has electric make sure the supply to the shed is turned off when not in use.

Keep all cutting tools either in a separate location (not very practical) or in a very secure locked unit of some sort.

Grow spiky plants around the perimeter of the shed.

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put metal plates behind the hinge bolts inside the shed to stop them being pulled through the wood.

Forgot about that one, take it from someone that’s been stung this is very good advice.

I used a small drill bit to mess up the screw heads on my hinges and lock clasps, so a screwdriver won’t get any bite. Just a small thing really.

Shed Shackle sounds good.

Just been speaking to the company that manufactures them – I was going for a ground anchor (posted as such on a diff thread), but they suggested Shed Shackle instead. Give them a call, they are really helpful. They are at http://www.torc-anchors.com/index.php

Use it with other security bits/bobs as suggested in other posts.

And no, I’m not employed by them, on commission etc…

thanks fellas some good advice there

+1 for the shed shackle… fitted one last year with one if their massive HD chains and locks. they would literally have to smash the side of the shed out and make lots of noise, to remove the bike.

Also put a carriage bolt or two on each hinge so they can’t be undone from the out side.

Consider capturing a big angry badger and keeping him in there too

Aren’t all badgers angry?

Only the ones with bovine TB

how about this:
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHqtArOraTQ[/video]

you can get diy versions of those;

http://fwd.channel5.com/gadgets/home-garden/home/alarms-protection/concept-smoke-screen-rapid-e-series

my 2p is that unless they’re linked to an alarm etc then theifs may just set the thing off and literally wait for the smoke to clear and then come back?

I remove the wheels and keep them in the house, plus I always keep the chain nice and oily too. 😀

Its simple stuff really, like has been said above.

Round off the head of screws. On the inside of the hinges I put big wooden battens running the length of the frame/door. The lock is bolted on with big washers to the door/frame, rather than screwed in again using battons running the length of the door. Its amazing how much stronger it makes the door. (on an old shed this stopped an opportunistic attack)

Alarm the door and try and hide all the wires/boxes etc. If they find it they will easily smash it to pieces.

I made a ground anchor by getting a D Lock and inverting it in a concrete base ‘ U ‘ way up with just the tops poking through the shed floor.

I then use 2 cheap long cables like this to secure round the bikes, lawnmower etc. More because it takes 5 mins of faffing to unloop them all.

I’m not a fan of spending money on security lights, why would you want to help them see what they are doing? Also I wouldnt buy expensive locks either. If they can’t get through the lock, they will just cut through your frame!

Basically all you can do is slow them down, or pee them off, if they want your bike they will get it one way or another.

Had a London client tell me about their downhill riding friends experience….they went on hols leaving expensive rigs with maxed out bike shed security doors/locks/floor bolts/D-locks…..thieves (who they felt must have scoped them out at trails and followed them home on a recky) cut a hole through the roof for access, sawed through frames rather than locks to remove….worth their while for components rather than frames obviously….moral of the story is don’t forget the roof!

Morale of the storey is if you cant take the risk of having a bike nicked, dont keep it in a shed 🙂

My biggest security feature is the guy next door keeps a Halfords special in a unlocked shed 🙂

always secure the floor and roof of any shed using builders band, from http://WWW.toolstation.com

For my 2p I’ll offer (some already mentioned)

A) Swap a couple of screws in the hinges/hasp and staple for coach bolts
B) Strengthen the door with lengths of 3×2 and 9mm ply and ply line the inside again with 9mm ply on exposed sides (ones not against another fence/building)
C) Or Chicken wire the inside as its a right pain to snip through
D) Screw to roof and walls properly
E) Cut out a little floor and earth below to allow an anchor to be sunk into or fixed to some Concrete
F) Don’t leave cutting tools visible
G) Use a couple of cheaper locks
H) Cover windows with ply (painted same as shed and screw tacked from the inside) or a curtain at least

Prob a few more but these spring to mind, just don’t leave it to late

Carl