A spate of more than 40 shed burglaries during a month in Ipswich has seen expensive items stolen including power tools and cycles as well as equipment for fishing, golfing and gardening.

Suffolk police is urging shed-owners to step up security after the steep rise in burglaries, which have happened mainly in central and eastern areas of the town, since the beginning of April.

In many crimes, hinges have been unscrewed or locks forced. However, in others the sheds have been in a poor state of repair or left insecure.

Police have issued the following advice:

- Fittings should be bolted through the door and reinforced at the back with a steel plate or washer; hasps should have concealed screws.

- Fit good locks to all doors. Padlocks should be at least 6cm/2.5 ins wide, hardened steel, have at least 5 pins and be closed shackle. - Make sure that the shed is in good condition. Weaknesses such as rotten wood or holes in the doors or windows will be an easy access point for a burglar, even if there are good locks on the doors.

- Consider fitting an alarm or investigating if your house alarm can be extended to cover the sheds/garage.

- Secure items within the shed. Lock items to each other with a quality lock or secure them to a fixed point in the floor.

- Make sure the boundary fence is in good order, at least six foot high, and check gates are locked.

- Use dusk to dawn security lights around the shed.

- Security mark property and register it here .

- If you see or hear anything suspicious, especially at night, call police immediately on 101 or 999 if a crime is in progress. For additional advice contact safer neighbourhood teams on 101.

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