Yard Security Help Please

chestnutx

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 October 2006
Messages
124
Location
Bedfordshire
Visit site
There is no-one living on site at my yard and it is quite far from the nearest houses, we also don't have electricity! So security is an issue! We have been broken into twice and had rugs and feed stolen plus other bits and pieces. We don't keep anything of value but it still adds up if you keep having feed and rugs stolen! My hubby and I are wracking our brains trying to work out ways to keep rugs and feed secured but we are not sure what is best. Any help, ideas or experience very welcome!

Thanks in advance.
 

Meowy Catkin

Meow!
Joined
19 July 2010
Messages
22,635
Visit site
I started a thread about CCTV and someone replied that they use wildlife cameras on their yard. They did link to one too that's battery operated, so maybe suitable for you?
 

asmp

Well-Known Member
Joined
13 March 2010
Messages
4,123
Visit site
Assume you have written/painted things on your rugs like your postcodes? I would be tempted to add "Stolen from" too. I would write on everything - I've even done it all over my bales of shavings and haylage - just in case.

When I used to live up north, a horse in our field had her expensive rug stolen off her back. The thief came back a couple of weeks later (assuming, rightly, that the rug had been replaced) and stole it again. However, when they realised the postcode was written on it, they dumped it nearby.
 

sport horse

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 January 2002
Messages
1,908
Visit site
The worrying thing about this type of theft is that it is probably another local horse owner.

Can you tip your feed into a bin and padlock it? Bales of hay - open as much as you can - irritating I know but much harder for anyone to steal loose stuff than bags and bales. Obviously do not leave any unused bags about for them to scoop feed into.
 

chestnutx

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 October 2006
Messages
124
Location
Bedfordshire
Visit site
Thanks for replies so far. We've thought about Geese but it is so remote that I'm not sure anyone would hear the geese making a racket? The nearest house is about a mile away.

We have now marked everything, although I need to re-do the rugs as the mud has covered it! We were thinking of some hidden underground type containers, has anyone else ever tried this?

We have the feed in dustbins and last time they took the whole dustbins! I kept the feed at home in the garage for a while just taking up their daily feeds but I soon got fed up of that! I also keep most of my rugs that aren't being used at home although I often forget the rug I need when the weather changes because I am soo dippy!! So annoying just wish the ******** wouldn't steal :-(
 

Cecile

Well-Known Member
Joined
21 September 2016
Messages
1,283
Visit site
Cheap and cheerful idea's

Any of the below items can be purchased on Amazon, always buy industrial batteries they last for weeks and are cheaper than normal batteries ~ Amazon again
http://www.warwickshire-horsewatch.co.uk/downloads/SECURITY_ITEMS_FOR_SALE.pdf

Cheapest camera I have found, I usually buy Spypoint or Acorn (I use these camera's where my cctv won't reach)

http://www.easylifegroup.com/product/wildlife-and-security-camera/2530

Contact your local Police Country Watch team if you have one and ask them for a stack of warning signs

Battery or Solar lights

I know you say you are remote but I doubt they will hang around too long if it becomes noisy, a farmer near me bought a couple of Yale panic alarms from Homebase added cotton thread and when anyone tried to open the workshop door the noise was enough to make them run a mile (Never tried it myself)

You can also buy anti vandal paint but how you would ever find out who had the paint on their hands is anyone's guess, your thieves sound like they are taking it to use themselves
 

HashRouge

Well-Known Member
Joined
16 February 2009
Messages
9,254
Location
Manchester
Visit site
Thanks for replies so far. We've thought about Geese but it is so remote that I'm not sure anyone would hear the geese making a racket? The nearest house is about a mile away.
I don't think geese were suggested to alert neighbours, but to deter thieves. Geese are pretty intimidating! Mind you, you'd have to deal with them on a daily basis too :p
 

Farmer Chalk

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 October 2015
Messages
399
Visit site
This video may help.....it was a video made to help farmers protect their farmyards. It includes a video from real thieves on what they consider vulnerable and what stops them...may be of some use!

The biggest point the thief made was if you've got gates then close and lock them!

https://youtu.be/7r50Bavw3ck
 

Farmer Chalk

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 October 2015
Messages
399
Visit site
The biggest lesson we learnt from the thieves was to block free entry... if the gate is open they will just drive in and if challenged ask for directions to a moody address or ask if you've got any scrap!!

Most yards let you just drive in and out without any restriction! He loved these type of places...
The video was unscripted and just followed a thief on his travels....the bit where he just waves at the farmhand who waved back was priceless and highlighted the front that they have!

You have to remember that this is their day job and will drive around all day looking for yards to explore or exploit or come back after hours if they spy good pickings!
He said he didn't like going into places behind locked gates....he couldnt bullshit why he was there if challenged!
 

Luci07

Well-Known Member
Joined
13 October 2009
Messages
9,382
Location
Dorking
Visit site
Fridge freezer from the dump (chest one) which can be padlocked. Don't know about the cost of an airtight container? We had one at a previous yard and it was very very sturdy. Literally would have had to chisel off the doors to open it.
 

WelshD

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 October 2009
Messages
7,973
Visit site
I have a few of these boxes, I keep spare old rugs in them and then stack them among the hay bales as they are about the right size to keep the stack integrity so not being obvious, they would be a pain to get at daily but useful if you need a rug to replace a damaged one (or a stolen one) I also keep out of season stuff in them

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-x-REALL...789504?hash=item462209f880:g:rRoAAOSwxYxU0dQs

I have another few that I keep at home that are full and I rotate with the ones at the field as needs be

I've also had a sort out an sold anything I didnt need, better than storing it or having it pinched
 

pansymouse

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 May 2012
Messages
2,736
Location
Amesbury, Wiltshire
Visit site
Make sure you mark and photograph everything you own so if it is stolen you can post on the local horse Facebook pages - makes it much more difficult for thieves to pass stolen goods off as a "tackroom clearout" and gets 100's of pairs of eye looking of for your stuff.
 

Wagtail

Horse servant
Joined
2 December 2010
Messages
14,816
Location
Lincs
Visit site
I have three of these. One of them is outside and totally waterproof. You can actually fit in more feed bags than it says and they can be padlocked. Far too heavy to steal. They are heavy and cumbersome to move even when empty. They are delivered flat packed and you have to fit them together yourself, but the price is so good for what you get. They can be used to store tack and rugs too.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LARGE-GAL...263584?hash=item2a5d14b120:g:fFwAAOSwQItUFtVH
 

amandaco2

Well-Known Member
Joined
2 November 2006
Messages
6,705
Location
sheffield up t'road
Visit site
can u get a shipping container? and keep hay and feed, rugs etc inside?
defo padlock gates.
a flock of geese are very intimidating and good if you can get them. the only thing is I think they make quite a mess in the fields in winter so maybe not too many of them! not sure if they need a pond or something too....
 

spacie1977

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 June 2013
Messages
235
Visit site
I'd get a wildlife camera and put up a simple booby trap - a tin of cheap paint on a shelf above the doorway attached to fishing wire at knee height. It would be hugely entertaining to watch if you set the camera to catch them getting covered in paint. They'd also have a hard time explaining to their family why they've returned home in such a state, would trash their car seats upon their get away, and you could send the footage to all sorts of organisations and local news to make sure the scumbag is caught. Deterrents are good but revenge is so sweet.
 

Merrymoles

Well-Known Member
Joined
21 January 2010
Messages
5,180
Location
Up t'dale
Visit site
On a similar yard, we used to paint the postcode large in fluorescent paint on all rugs and it lasted for ages! It seemed a good deterrent as our rugs stopped walking. Not much help with feed though I'm afraid, which we never lost.

Fake cameras, especially ones that come with a flashing light to show they are "on" are also quite good but I'm not sure where you find them.
 

Velcrobum

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 October 2016
Messages
3,042
Visit site
It is possible to buy solar powered lights that have motion sensor in them. CCTV notices on gates are useful. Easiest is lock stuff up, could you get a garden shed and lock feed in that. Shipping containers do not need planning permission and are very secure. Local yard uses one as a tack store.
 

chestnutx

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 October 2006
Messages
124
Location
Bedfordshire
Visit site
Thanks for replies, some great ideas. Our next doir neighbours have shipping containers and thieves cut fencing, drove in using 4x4 attached chains to the door of the container and pulled off the container door, this was to steal their generator!
 

Velcrobum

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 October 2016
Messages
3,042
Visit site
Thanks for replies, some great ideas. Our next doir neighbours have shipping containers and thieves cut fencing, drove in using 4x4 attached chains to the door of the container and pulled off the container door, this was to steal their generator!

Sadly there are some thieves that are very determined, generators have high value and are easily sold on. Feed and rugs have much lower value so risk taken to steal is lower. The more difficult it is and the more time consuming tends to deter opportunistic thieves. We got advice from the rural policing team they are very helpful.
 

Cecile

Well-Known Member
Joined
21 September 2016
Messages
1,283
Visit site
Thanks for replies, some great ideas. Our next doir neighbours have shipping containers and thieves cut fencing, drove in using 4x4 attached chains to the door of the container and pulled off the container door, this was to steal their generator!

Some years ago a large 4x4 arrived at my stables, 2 men got out and tried to sell me a generator, they were quite insistent that I look even tho I remained polite but said I didn't need one and when they opened the
back of the 4x4 they had loads of boxed up Honda generators, I've also had rubber matting offered and a whole van full of hedging plants. I just used to send a text to the police and other yards in the area with as many details as possible. They can no longer drive in to visit me
 

Honey08

Waffled a lot!
Joined
7 June 2010
Messages
19,005
Location
north west
Visit site
We had things stolen at out yard once, in our case they' were opportunists. Just nipped in and grabbed what they could (a lot, as it happened). The storeroom at the time wasn't far from the lane and the gate wasn't locked. Easy! Now I have sacrificed my neat storeroom and store things all over the place in various locked containers. It would be much more difficult to do a quick job. I also leave a lot of cheap and nasty or broken bits of tack around the place for them to steal, in the hope that they'd think we only had stuff that wasn't worth selling on.

In the OP's case it's a bit more worrying that feed is being stolen, it suggests another horsey person? I'd try and get a huge, heavy feedbin that can't be lifted.
 

MagicMelon

Well-Known Member
Joined
6 November 2004
Messages
16,174
Location
North East Scotland
Visit site
I started a thread about CCTV and someone replied that they use wildlife cameras on their yard. They did link to one too that's battery operated, so maybe suitable for you?

This. And make sure you put up signs everywhere saying CCTV in operation. I never leave anything really decent in my tackroom, my saddle lives in the house! I have a camera pointing at my field entrance, just in case and am about to buy a couple of CCTV signs too. I have motion activated floodlights on the front of my house which are handy (my field is right beside my house), I wonder if you could get a motion one that works on a battery. Id definately go down the camera route though (with some sort of light or a wildlife one) as Id want to catch the nasty people!

I'd also secure the feed better somehow, not having bags lying around that they could easily remove - maybe pour feed into very solid (heavy) containers? Put rugs in several locked big heavy boxes? Make it less easy for them to grab and run quickly. Also paint your name onto the sides of all rugs so harder for them to sell on (or use)? I'd put a big sign up in the tack room stating this had been done. Might put them off?
 
Last edited:

cowgirl16

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 March 2013
Messages
489
Visit site
Thanks for replies, some great ideas. Our next doir neighbours have shipping containers and thieves cut fencing, drove in using 4x4 attached chains to the door of the container and pulled off the container door, this was to steal their generator!

We had this happen to one of our containers last year. They were looking for tools we think. Nothing was taken, as nothing of value was in the container anyway. (wonder how these thieves knew there was a generator in there?) The container that replaced the trashed one was slightly different, it doesn't have the big bars on the doors that operate the opening mechanisms, so there's no way of attaching anything to pull the doors off. It's also got a very heavy duty padlock that is impossible to remove without the key. If I had a place of my own, I would definitely go for one (or 2) of these containers. Funnily enough, I was pricing these things up yesterday as we are so short of storage now and the YO has very shallow pockets, I thought it may be worth considering getting my own. They can be surprisingly cheap to rent. I found one for £12 per week. Not bad if you are sharing! There are loads you can buy. A decent one would set you back about £1500. You would have to factor in the cost of delivery as well though. In your situation, I'd be getting one or two of these containers, and lock everything away! ETA the containers I was pricing up were 20' x 8'.
 
Top