A surge in demand for top-of-the-range mowers and gardening tools has prompted the UK’s leading rural insurer to warn homeowners not to make their gardens an easy target for thieves.
According to NFU Mutual claims data, the average claim for stolen mowers rose 44% last year with thieves targeting more expensive models including robotic and ride on mowers.
Chets Modi, Senior Agent at NFU Mutual in Henfield said: “Just as consumers are spending more on their gardens, thieves are being more selective with higher value items. The rise in advanced, robotic mowers is expected to further fuel the trend for richer pickings.”
“While mowers, tools, bikes and heating oil are commonly stolen items, we have also had reports of architectural features and valuable garden ornaments being taken from people’s homes.
“It’s important to treat the items in your garden and outbuildings in the same way you treat the items inside your home. This means making sure you have adequate security in place, checking your insurance cover and reassessing the value of more expensive items such as mowers and statues on a regular basis.”
Hints & tips for protecting your garden:
• Secure fences and gates and prickly plants can deter thieves from entering your garden
• Consider outside security lighting and CCTV
• Keep garden gates locked and fit heavy-duty padlocks to sheds, garages and outbuildings
• Noisy gravel and alarms can help announce the arrival of any unwanted visitors
• Keep garden tools secure and out of sight when not in use
• Use Smart Water to mark valuable possessions (a traceable liquid used to deter theft)
• Make sure you calculate the replacement value for garden items and check expensive trees or sculptures don’t exceed the single item limit on your insurance policy
