RESIDENTS are being reminded to keep their outbuildings secure this spring after a burglary in Berkeley.

At around 1am on Tuesday, April 10 thieves forced entry to a garden and then a garden shed at a home on Marybrook Street and stole a £400 recycling petrol mower.

Officers are investigating the burglary and are appealing to anyone who saw any suspicious activity in the area to contact them.

Gloucestershire Police are also urging shed owners to think about security when it comes to outbuildings.

Crime prevention officer for the county, Paul Francis, said: "With people getting their ready for summer more expensive equipment and bicycles are being stored in them but it’s important to remember that wooden sheds with no additional security measures do not provide protection against anything more than the weather.

"We are urging residents to look carefully at the way they store their gardening equipment and ask them to consider taking action with our security suggestions."

Anyone with information about the burglary should call police on 101, quoting incident number 285 of April 10, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.