Attempted bicycle theft from our back garden shed (via back garden access lane)

Our rear garden is backed by a shabby access lane, which is generally poorly maintained and provides good cover for potential burglars to gain access over our fences.

Last year we had two mountain bikes stolen, and last Sunday night we found my son’s bike near the fence, with the shed’s door open - the hinges forced off!

Our wobbly fence now needs urgent repair and our shed door needs fixing.

My real concern is the back access lanes to these Perry Vale properties.

Does anyone else worry that they make easy and covered access to our back gardens?

We will install better fences and some sensor lights, but that doesn’t really answer the main problem…

Who’s responsibility is the upkeep and surveillance of these back garden lanes?

As @anon93536262 says, it may well be up to you. The lane at the back of our house is not accessabile from our property and we are not allowed to use it - so it will be detailed in your purchase documentation.

That’s what we thought when we moved, however it’s not in our deeds and there are over 100 properties which the lane flanks at the rear on both Como and Cranston

The fence is our responsibility, which we will happily(?) repair, however I’m fairly certain the security of the lane should be a local authority issue? The entrances are 100s of metres away to our garden!

When we were first broken into last year, our friendly community liaison officer suggested that the neighbouring property to the entrance had the role of maintaining the access…

Have emailed Lewisham Council to find out more… I’ll call tomorrow also.

Ah, we tend to be responsible for either the left or right hand side of our garden fences, this may be an issue here!

Maybe a good idea to get together (put flyers in everyone’s doors) as neighbours to try & find a solution.

Possibly assembly funding or apply for other funding to build a bigger & sturdy fence for the lane as a whole?

Google Poacher Mine, they work very well. Just remember it’s there!!

The green lanes down the back of Cranston (cant speak for the others) belong to the home owners who back on to them - it is marked as such on the deeds. However the lane also backs on to bits of Como Road but the home owners there have no rights and the boundary stops at their back fence. As I recall we have to keep the access route clear for other home owners and we all have a right of way but essentially it is a private “road” and Lewisham have no responsibility. Some bits are really not looked after well but some of people do make a decent effort. However it is impossible to stop people using them in practice, I got into an argument once with a dog owner who used it as a toilet for his pet and he refused to believe it was my property that his dog was using!

I did just google poacher mine… they look fun, and reasonably priced as a stocking filler.
Might order a few for the kids…

(obviously a joke!)

Ah, thanks Nick.

That explains a few things then. We live on Como road, which might be the reason that nothing’s mentioned in our deeds…

I thought it was council owned land because an overalled man (who said he was from the council) once tried to stop me cutting back an ivy tree which was destroying our long-suffering fence a few years back.

I bought one after repeated attempts to steal my scooter. It went off once, never had any repeat attempts.

Hi xav. We have just moved into Cranston road. (WoolStone end) We were discussing the back lane and wondering why some bits are overgrown and others kept neat. I thought that all the nettles would keep thieves away - but clearly not! Are you at WoolStone end of como? Maybe we back on to each other.
Charlotte

Hi Charlotte,

Yes we’re at the Woolstone Road end.
I don’t think the nettles, brambles or ivy put off the thieves at all!

I think a couple of strategically placed security lights (the sensor types) might put off opportunists, but would probably be set off by the foxes… there are a few dens in the lane I think.

I really must get our fences redone though! I don’t know if there are height restrictions for these, but I’m thinking of going quite tall. Secure by Design recommends 1.8m with 300mm trellis on top, but I think this is a bit short…

Growing Hawthorn against an ingress point is a good way to prevent access. It’s hardy, has a lovely flower in spring and works as a deterrent very well.

Yes, I might try to train some spiky things to grow against the fence… I quite like hawthorne.