Insurer Halifax has formulated a list of ways to stop green-fingered thieves from getting their hands on your gardening equipment.
Research from the company has revealed that garden theft increased by 63 per cent during the summer months last year – so now could be time to get a gardener in to trim your grass while they also cut the risk of you becoming a victim of crime.
Gardens and driveways covered with gravel can “help deter thieves as they can be heard approaching the garden”, the insurer advised.
Furthermore, employing tradespeople to build high walls, fit spiked fences and plant prickly hedges can “make your garden less accessible to would-be thieves”.
Anyone living in the capital may be more inclined to employ a gardener for such tasks after the area topped the 2008 list of theft hotspots, followed by Richmond and Twickenham, Grimsby, Ipswich, Hull and East Yorkshire.
Meanwhile, research carried out by Lloyds TSB Insurance has found the top ten items that people would like to see in their garden include a hot tub, swing seat and water feature.
