On Mon, 7 Dec 2009 16:52:25 -0000, "Bob Hobden"
wrote:



"Rusty Hinge" wrote
Bob Hobden wrote:
Went down the allotment site yesterday for a few veg for dinner and was
confronted by the site of all the sheds on the site being broken into,
doors or what's left of them flapping in the breeze. To get to the sheds
they had smashed rabbit fences and gates. Luckily with no shed we only
had big footprints in the soft earth were I had already dug as they
walked across our plot.
Luckily I spotted a cache of stuff hidden by the gates and took it home
after advising the Police.
Spent the rest of the day dealing with the Police, a SOCO, putting
notices on all sheds for the Police, and advising as many plotholders as
I could by phone or personally. Still today I've had to go down to the
site again.
Yet the Council can't give me contact details of all the plotholders
because of Data Protection!!!

Yes they can! Jobsworths...

Well it turns out that the Council themselves have now made contact or left
messages for all the other plot holders, saves me a job. I have also been
able to get the details of some that have contacted me for future reference.
The Police have now proved to be a bunch of .......... because they told one
plot holder that each shed has to go down as separate crimes whereas I was
given a number for all the site which they were all to quote so they could
all be linked, they then said they knew nothing about me having found stuff
when I'd given them a list and their SOCO had been round and fingerprinted
it. I despair some times.
Strangely only the petrol Strimmer and the petrol Generator (?) have been
claimed so far so it look like I might gain stuff.
I think they were disturbed. Looking at the site today and the footprints
they appear to have been collecting stuff on the plot by the main gates as
they went through each shed, the cache I found.
A shed near our plot which is also next to our only neighbouring property
had a Cultivator in it that wasn't moved despite the shed being broken into,
that neighbour breeds some large dogs (Dogue de Bordeaux) so perhaps they
started barking and frightened them off. They would put the fear of God into
anyone in the dark, especially when they bark on mass.
Anyway, looks like damage was the only outcome.
They will be back though IDC, guaranteed.

Bob, that's dreadful. Is the site solely administered by the Council?
We have a private committee, all plot holders, who are answerable to
the Council but we have a secretary who holds all details and sends
out letters. We have a treasurer who collects the money and pays
bills..
We had a similar thing happen a couple of years ago, with sheds
ransacked, tools thrown around and broken. Our site manager liaised
with the Police.
We pay £8 a year for a standard plot.

Pam in Bristol