St Albans saw the fourth most shed burglaries in Hertfordshire last month, as over 40 were recorded across the county.

Three Rivers equalled the city's record, with both areas seeing four incidents in March 2023.

The East Herts region saw more burglaries from sheds during the month, with five, while Dacorum (nine), Watford (seven) and North Herts (six) recorded the most.

Meanwhile, Hertsmere and Broxbourne saw three a piece.

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Sergeant Nicolas Achilleos said: “Burglaries and thefts from gardens often increase at this time of year, as the temperatures rise.

"People tend to buy new garden equipment, start DIY projects or splash out on barbecues etc, meaning there’s a lot of valuable stuff in gardens and sheds.

"We are recommending that everyone takes some basic security measures to make sure their gardens and outbuildings are secure.

"Leaving tools and gardening equipment lying around in your garden can attract thieves, as they are often valuable or could also be used to break into your home.

“Make sure any tools that could assist a burglar, like ladders, trowels, hammers etc, are locked away and make sure outbuildings are as secure as possible, with strong locks or even an alarmed padlock.

                                                                                                

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"Dusk till dawn security lights and planting defensive plants like roses along your borders, and keeping fences in good condition, will make your home even safer.

"Remember to close windows and lock doors when you are finished outside and before going to bed, even when the weather gets warmer.”

Further advice can be found on the Hertfordshire police website: www.herts.police.uk

Burglaries can be reported by online at herts.police.uk/report or by calling the non-emergency number 101.

Anonymous information can be given by contacting the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111, or online at crimestoppers-uk.org.