Jane wrote in message :
Are there locks on the gates? *Are* there gates?

My allotments had locks put on all gates a month after I got my plot.
In the month before, I had my leeks nicked, and sheds were always
getting burned. Since the locks, there has been no trouble. Admittedly
a few weeks ago some nit left a padlock hooked open over the gate and
some little dears wandered past (in full view of a fellow plotholder)
and nicked it. Took the council 6 weeks to get a new one to the same
keycoding. And still folk leave the padlock off... I always lock it
on regardless.

At least our Council weld the padlock to the chain which is itself welded to
the gate so it can't be nicked without tools.
When Sue with the help of friends caught 6 kids that were stoning her the
police came quickly and let them go after taking their names, saying "Oh we
know their families, doesn't surprise us".
But nothing was done!
I, with the help of the Swan Sanctuary next door, have taken to blocking up
their paths and entry points with all sorts of things like piles of rotting
veg, swan shit, fly tipping rubbish......and planting more brambles. It's
had an effect, as has actually talking, passing the time of day, to some
older kids seen on site.

Cuttings off brambles, when they dry, are better than barbed wire. :-)

--
Bob

www.pooleygreengrowers.org.uk/ about an Allotment site in
Runnymede fighting for it's existence.