WITH summer finally here, people are being urged to lock up their sheds as criminals set their sights on the valuables left inside.

Gloucestershire police is urging homeowners to get ‘sheducated’ and protect both high and low value items as scores of shed thefts take place each year.

Many of these thefts are avoidable with a little security awareness, with harm reduction advisor for Gloucestershire Police, Kim Mowday, saying she urged everyone to be on their guard.

“Bicycles, for example, left unlocked in insecure sheds are often thought to be secure by their owners due to the privacy of the location,” she said.

“Unfortunately this isn’t the case - thieves will jump over garden walls and snatch anything they see.

“Whilst we are doing all we can to catch thieves and reduce these crimes there are a lot of things you can do to keep your property secure and stop thieves striking.”

She added bikes were not safe unprotected either, as thieves throw them back across the wall and then taken them away.

Advice includes replacing wood screws with easily obtainable 'coach bolts' or security screws and fixing security padlocks.

Alternatively people can fit a shed bar or replace glass in window with polycarbonate sheets.

If you are thinking of buying a new shed, the police also suggest you look at making it a plastic one.