Break-ins, Boobytraps, and Other News from the Plot

Posted on by Valonia

Intruders came on Friday, under the cover of darkness, and forced the lock on the main gates.

They must have been on site a while because only a few plots escaped their attention.  Plots on our snicket were raided – all the ones with sheds… Except ours. We know this because they left the gates open, but ours was still neatly closed and double bolted as we had left it. They cut the lock on P’s metal shed and bent the door to open it. L had her shed raided too; neither had anything stolen.

We’re not sure why they didn’t bother with our plot. I have a wild theory about it, and it involves L’s shed: we’re the last plot in our row and they were pretty thorough with all the others. It turns out, ever mistrustful of break-ins, L boobytraps her shed! She has tripwires – nothing that can be accused of being purposeful, it’s just how she stores her wire. She’s messy and it happens to straggle across the entrance of her shed for any unexpected visitor to trip over. To compliment it, there’s a nice pile of hard objects for said unexpected visitor to tumble into. I suspect that whoever broke in may have encountered more than they bargained for on her plot and decided to make a hasty retreat! And it’s a good job too, because I accidentally left my backpack and camera in our shed. When I heard the news that the plots had been burgled I thought bag and camera would be gone. We got off very lightly indeed.

I’m also beginning to suspect that L has started boobytrapping the snicket too, as I walked into this on Saturday:

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Still, if it keeps intruders away…

In other news, we now have a working water butt after Rob fitted guttering to the shed. It didn’t go quite according to plan, but after a few adjustments it all works fine.

As I mentioned above, I left my camera at the plot. We’ve been trying to capture the rabbit on film so we can find out where the blighter is getting in. It was facing the wrong direction and switched off at the time of the robbery, so I’ve no evidence for the police. I’d make a rubbish private investigator.

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Recent footage, however, did show a rabbit climbing over the pallet fence that forms part of the compost bin complex at the rear of the plot. The rabbit had previously left a trail of evidence to show it’s been enjoying our hospitality:

Our most pressing job, therefore, is to make the section of fence in question too difficult for four-legged furry critters to climb.

This weather has halted work on the area where the raised asparagus bed will go. I’ve started to dig over and remove as many of the perennial weeds as I can, but it’s a long, slow process.

Just before this cold spell hit, my sweet peas started to sprout so I’ve added bubblewrap and plastic sheeting to the cold frame to protect them until the thaw comes. The allotment thermometer recorded -14C last night, and it’s due to be even colder tonight.

Fingers crossed they survive!

14 thoughts on “Break-ins, Boobytraps, and Other News from the Plot”

  2. I do most of my gardening in rural areas, so most of my challenges come from the weather and four-legged bandits, not two-legged bandits. Sounds like you’ve got all three factors to contend with. Hopefully whoever did the break-in will eventually realize that it’s much more fun to tend gardens and watch things grow, rather than stealing from gardeners.

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    1. Your weather looked lovely on your fruitluck post and I was very jealous! I imagine you must deal with some serious hot weather though?

      I hope that somewhere those two-legged bandits are tending a bit of earth and pondering their life choices. Maybe they’ll break-in and return everything!

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      1. Yup, this time of year our weather is lovely, and people up north envy us here in Florida. But in summer, it’s just hot steamy humid muggy grossness around here. Every August, I find myself fantasizing about moving to Iceland!

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      2. Remind me never to complain about the British weather ever again! It’s currently -4C outside and snowing, but it still sounds more appealing than a Florida August!

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  3. Break ins at the plots….they must not be looking for very much, I would think most of you just have the equipment for a working plot on the property….what on earth could they be looking for?? Certainly not a drug hang out, no spare cash laying around, you did have a camera, but I am thinking that most do not have a rabbit spy cam in there sheds, however I like the idea of booby trapping the area, L had the right idea…So sorry for the other plat owners and extremely happy you were spared…xxkat

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    1. We have no idea what they were looking for. They broke into a shed with mowers and rotavators and left everything! I get the impression they were after something specific, but not sure what. Xx

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      1. My first thought was they were hoping to find drugs or money….but it leaves me shaking my head thinking why break into allotments ?? Just glad that they didn’t destroy it…..xx

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      2. There is a guy who goes to his shed to smoke pot and he usually has a few neighbourhood kids trying to sneak in so I guess it could be connected with that. I don’t think he’s any kind of drug baron and worthy of a plot raid… Or is he??? The mystery deepens! Xx

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