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It's winter time and it will soon be time to put the tools into storage - but lets make sure they stay there!

How good actually IS your security?

This point was bought home the other day when a friend of mine was proudly fixing a HUGE expensive padlock onto his workshop door after a series of break in's locally.

"There" he said proudly - "no one will be getting in there now!"

I instantly spotted a glaring flaw but said nothing at the time - I thought what better way to demonstrate it other than to wander across the fields to his house later that day, and whilst he was watching television in his house UNSCREW the workshop door hinges from their posts and push them open still securely fastened in the centre.....

i then walked up to his front door pushing along a very expensive (£2K plus) industrial steam cleaner from his workshop....

Needless to say, the hinges are now upgraded and very securely bolted on with coach bolts and he has installed a YALE alarm system!

Just walk around your premises over the next few days and think about how the criminal fraternity would view it..

If you have security lights, do they work?

I have just installed a large metal halide lamp down the yard, which lights the place up like daylight at the flick of a switch, metal halides are a vast improvement over older style halogens with much longer bulb lifespan and far lower running costs.

Make sure bushes or trees don't obscure the light or more crucially its sensor if it is a PIR type light. Make sure all your bulbs are as bright as they can be and replace any faulty ones.

Are all your buildings properly secured?

Now is the time to think about replacing old rusted padlocks with new high security ones, making sure the hinges can't simply be unscrewed. The amount of padlock hasps i see installed wrongly with exposed screws never ceases to amaze me either - if the fixings HAVE to be exposed, at least use coach bolts!

If your building has a window, think about installing bars or mesh behind it. One person I know that got their workshop broken into, the criminals gained access by simply levering out loose and flaking glazing putty, then simply lifted the glass out of the frame!

Compact and battery powered PIR alarms are now available that can be fitted in buildings without mains power - disarmed from a remote fob like a car, no one ever need know they are there, but trust me if you forget, the siren is totally deafening and would certainly put off the opportunistic thief as well as alerting anyone nearby as to what was going on.

Don't advertise what tools you have in store!

Don't leave tools on show! If possible cover all tools or put them inside a locked container, like a 'Van Vault' that can be bolted down to a concrete floor and contain light and easily liftable items like power tools and chainsaws. Larger tools should be padlocked together with a length of high tensile chain, fastened ideally to an eye bolt embedded in concrete.

Make sure you can prove tools are yours!

Take and keep a photographic record of all tool serial numbers, identifying marks etc, so if the worst does happen and things get stolen, then you can supply the police with an accurate description of the items.

Make sure you are insured!

Standard property insurance is normally insufficient to cover the expense of replacing 'pro' kit, some insurers offer tool cover and 'enhanced' tool cover, some offer it on a trades mans policy along side public liability etc...

Make sure your 'covered value' is high enough and beware of some companies exclusions and restrictions, some stipulate exactly where and how tools must be housed - also beware some companies class items such as ride on mowers as 'plant' NOT tools - If in doubt ASK!

Make sure also that your insurance offers 'like for like' replacement, I know of one contractor locally that got ALL his tools stolen - so he claimed on his insurance. They sent a Champion 16" push mower to replace his Hayter 56 PRO, 2 Ryobi chainsaws to replace his Stihl items and a Ryobi multi tool set to replace his stolen Tanaka Smart Fit set.

When he complained, they pointed out that there was no description of the items he had on their records - despite the fact he had all the original receipts in his possession 

All that was recorded on their records was 'petrol lawnmower, two chainsaws and multi fit garden tool set (strimmer, pole pruner, hedgetrimmer)' - so that's what they sent him!

Needless to say, it all went on Ebay and he went down the local dealer and had to spend over £5000 at his own expense to get back to where he was equipment wise..

We all hope it will never happen to us - so lets all make life as difficult as possible for the criminals!!!