Damage to my allotment

[winnie]

Hi, I've been looking at the forum for ages since I got my allotment exactly a year ago & this is the first time I've written in, But I'm so mad today. Went to dig up a few potatoes for dinner tonite & found my shed broken into again, everything thrown around & all the plots nearby damaged including my friends polytunnel slashed. I want to give it all up. I had big plans for next year but I'm too fed up now!!!
I don't want to let them beat me but what can I do???? any ideas???? Help!!

[Silverfox]

GOSH - what some people do
Is your allotment on its own or are there other's around? If there are a few talk to the other site holders and see if they have the same problem. If you have a site manager make sure you let them know what problems you are having. I am guessing it is not in a locked area becuse how can they get in?

Apart from a torch, flask of coffee and a good book to read and sitting there all day long I have no idea how you can stop this happening. It must be hard to enjoy what you are doing when someone is bringing you down all the time, but stick at it, they will soon get bored and find something else to do.

Welcome to the vine by the way. I hope that we can try and make you happy everytime you log on and need our help (i'm new to all this aswell but everyone is very welcoming and will give you any advise they can).

[Alice]

Hello Winnie and welcome to the Vine. I'm sorry I can't offer you anything practical but you do have my sympathy. how horrible of whatever yobs did that to you. They just don't think about what they are doing and there's no sense in it. I hope you don't give up. That way you have let the yobs dictate your life.Carry on living it your way and get back to happy gardening.

[winnie]

Thanx!! It's good to hear from you!! I've had a cup of tea now & haven't thrown my seed catalogues away yet!!!! Spoke to the police but they don't want to know as nothing was actually stolen, but someone from the council will come & look at our boundary fence. I suggested barbed wire but seems you can't use that now!!!!
Well at least they didn't touch the veggies-I suppose they will lose interest soon, like you say!

[Silverfox]

I have had a think - If your allotments (re read what you put and realised you have other allotment holders with you) are in a housing area it could be worth while spending a little money and getting some leaflets printed up and posting door to door.

Don't do it so direct like - vandals are killing our local allotment maybe organize an open day where they can bring kids along to look at how veg and flowers are grown. it will only take a few hours, they can come and have a look, you can discuss with them then what is going on and word of mouth will get about the town in no time (if you live in a town like ours it will get round in 5 mins). If they do bring kids with them at least you will be nipping it in the bud for when they get to the age where they might vandalise.

[ugly gourd]

our allotments have suffered more vandalism this year than ever the most recent was last thursday morning 5am we were woken by wood being moved we just presumed the nextdoor neighbour was loading his van then wood squeeking then glass breaking call the police who asked if they were armed I explained they were allotment sheds and as soon as they get in they have got lots of weapons when we looked around there were 10 sheds damaged we presumed it was adults but a dog walker pointed out a tent and said she had seen 2 lads running we had 4 police cars chasing after these lads we couldnt prove it was them but one had some drugs on him so he was taken in, but I think the worse vandalism Ive seen for years is as you drive into Olney from bedford/wellingborough end on the bank is Olney spelt out in box a friend of mine tends it its his pride and joy and vandals have used firelighters and lighter fulid to burn it WHY?

[dexterdoglancashire]

Hello winnie - so sorry to hear of your troubles. I dont really know what to suggest, any more than everyone already has. Let us know how you get on, and keep in touch with the Vine - lots of friendly, good advice. Dexterdog

[Snadger]

My sympathy goes out to anyone who has had their allotment vandalised or broken into.

I am sitting here 'touching wood' that this doesn't happen to our site

Up to now (6 months for me) their has been no vandalism and I put it down to having a few of the owners of the houses which overlook our site as allotment tennants

They act as unpaid nightwatchmen and I am sure contibute to the fact that we have no bother (touching wood again)

[winnie]

Hi, you're probably right. We have a beautiful location with views over a cricket field where you can also see right across town, but we have woodland next to us and no housing close by, so I think we're a bit isolated. I don't want to give up but am beginning to dread every visit because of what they will do next. Maybe as the nights draw in, it'll be pitch black up there so maybe we'll be OK 'til next summer!!!!!

Thanks to everyone for sympathy & cheering me up----potatoes I dug up this afternoon look great anyway!

[dexterdoglancashire]

hope they taste just as good winnie! dexterdog

[number 1 suspect]

WE have had a bit on our site over the summer. Not much but enough to make you get angry with the little soda that you see hanging round outside the gates. Now they are back at school and the nights are drawing in iot may settle down a bit.

[yoanbob]

you could allways club together for cc tv or maybe fake cameras and signs.
dont give up winnie, dont let ignorant youths dictate your life.

[winnie]

Hi, thanx for all the replies. It was my first day in the forum so great to know that people care. After a glass of wine, everything is in perspective!!! No one died!!. But the CC TV idea could work, even if they are just fake-could put some of the ******* ***off!!!!!

P.S. The potatoes were delicious D.Dog!!!

[Alice]

Glad you feel a bit better Winnie. As some of us said before - don't let the yobs steer your life. Keep us posted and let us know the positive things happening at your lottie - what you're growing, hints and tips, plans for next year and piccies if you can. Happy gardening.

[bootie]

Allotment damage

The site I have my patch on has no security at all. The gate is locked but it is only a 5 bar. The fence is a laugh 4 foot high, the site can also be accessed from a field at the back. We share the site with the council landscape contractors and the local countryside rangers. Both of which were broken into last March. Luckily then we had only just taken over the site and it was virtually a field. I spoke about security to the councillors at our GRAND OPENING and I was told all the money had been used up. So far we have had no vandalism but it will happen soon