Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

Bulbs => Crocus => Topic started by: mark smyth on February 05, 2010, 11:13:13 AM

Title: Greenhouse vandalised !
Post by: mark smyth on February 05, 2010, 11:13:13 AM
My greenhouse has been vandalised again over night or this morning. Two sets of louvres broken and crocus, colchicums and oxalis lifted. This time they were not stolen but emptied from their pots and stood on and pulled apart. I really dont want to cover the green house windows with wire.
Title: Greenhouse vandalised !
Post by: art600 on February 05, 2010, 11:41:07 AM
Can you make it more difficult for them to get to the greenhouse?

Thank goodness they leave the garden alone!
Title: Re: Greenhouse vandalised !
Post by: indigo on February 05, 2010, 12:40:53 PM
Good grief!  How awful for you.  What are the police doing?
Title: Re: Greenhouse vandalised !
Post by: Luc Gilgemyn on February 05, 2010, 12:43:37 PM
Sorry to hear that Mark !

Some empty headed people really don't know what to do with their time...  ::) >:(
Title: Re: Greenhouse vandalised !
Post by: fleurbleue on February 05, 2010, 12:54:21 PM
I'm dismayed for you Mark  ???
Title: Re: Greenhouse vandalised !
Post by: maggiepie on February 05, 2010, 01:27:20 PM
Am really sorry to hear this, Mark.
Can't believe there are such idiots around with nothing better to do. It must be so frustrating as well as heartbreaking.
I hope whoever did this gets their just deserts before too much longer. :(
Title: Re: Greenhouse vandalised !
Post by: Ragged Robin on February 05, 2010, 01:35:21 PM
Mark, this is terrible news - you seem to have had your fair share of bad luck recently and I do hope things will turn around.  Wondering if you could install security lights or an alarm of some sort - maybe just a tripwire with a deep pit to leave them in  >:(
Title: Re: Greenhouse vandalised !
Post by: mark smyth on February 05, 2010, 04:07:21 PM
Thanks everyone. The police won't care. Someone has suggested putting old engine oil on the wall. It was a great day for photos and all I did was move the plunge contents from one side to the other.

I think I'll take the louvres out and put the glass back in
Title: Re: Greenhouse vandalised !
Post by: johnw on February 05, 2010, 06:04:55 PM
This is absolutely sickening Mark.  

I had a simply motion detector that runs on batteries and cost about £7 and you could hear it for half a kilometer.

When the home security system started acting up this summer they replaced the main panel which originally cost £600 (including all the wiring and detectors) for £50.  Now I have new sensors for entry and temperature (all wireless) and they work from the greenhouse to the main house relay.  The siren would raise Canon Ellacombe from the dead.  Either is worth looking into.  

I also see tiny remote cameras that feed into the home computer, fairly inexpensive at the big box stores.

This sounds like the work of some drunken idiot.

johnw
Title: Re: Greenhouse vandalised !
Post by: mark smyth on February 05, 2010, 06:09:07 PM
Yes, probably drunks or school kids, John
Title: Re: Greenhouse vandalised !
Post by: dominique on February 05, 2010, 06:12:48 PM
Very sad for you Mark
Dom
Title: Re: Greenhouse vandalised !
Post by: David Shaw on February 05, 2010, 06:57:40 PM
Sorry to hear of your problem, Mark. I suppose that connecting the greenhouse frame to the electricity would be frowned on. ::)
Title: Re: Greenhouse vandalised !
Post by: David Nicholson on February 05, 2010, 07:14:04 PM
It would be well worth a try!

As would a coat of anti-vandal paint on top of the wall. It's obtainable at most DIY stores, a particularly glutinous black that never hardens and puts a coat on anyone attempting to climb over the wall.
Title: Re: Greenhouse vandalised !
Post by: johnw on February 05, 2010, 07:38:51 PM
It would be well worth a try!

As would a coat of anti-vandal paint on top of the wall. It's obtainable at most DIY stores, a particularly glutinous black that never hardens and puts a coat on anyone attempting to climb over the wall.

I'd be very cautious resorting to those sorts of measures.  Imagine the havoc a teen might wreak if a ₤75 pair of super-baggy pants (or whatever you call them) were to get stained!

johnw
Title: Re: Greenhouse vandalised !
Post by: mark smyth on February 05, 2010, 08:09:33 PM
razor wire ::)
Title: Re: Greenhouse vandalised !
Post by: mark smyth on February 05, 2010, 08:12:11 PM
no super baggies around here just chavs/hoods/spides in track suits
Title: Re: Greenhouse vandalised !
Post by: WimB on February 05, 2010, 09:16:20 PM
I'm sorry to hear that, Mark. That's not the first time, isn't it? I seem to remember something about a piece of tufa being broken?
If you have a wall around your garden you could use the system my university used for one of their old buildings: they cemented bits of broken glass on top of the walls that surrounded the compound...I never saw anyone trying to get over the wall... maybe a bit extreme though
Title: Re: Greenhouse vandalised !
Post by: annew on February 05, 2010, 09:25:58 PM
Angry for you Mark - I don't know what they get out of it. The non-drying paint sounds like a good idea.
Title: Re: Greenhouse vandalised !
Post by: mark smyth on February 05, 2010, 09:26:10 PM
We are not allowed to put glas on walls anymore or I would hve done it years ago. We are not allowed to hurt burglars.

More recently a knife was waved at potential burglars/peeping toms. They reported the house owner who got a caution
Title: Re: Greenhouse vandalised !
Post by: mark smyth on February 05, 2010, 09:26:53 PM
I will go to homebase tomorrow
Title: Re: Greenhouse vandalised !
Post by: BULBISSIME on February 05, 2010, 09:41:16 PM
Mark,
I'm very sad for you   ???
I really hope you'll find a solution.
I also think the wireless alarm could be the best way. I use it , without problem untill now (  ::) ) but I think it's very efficient.

and I also hope it's the last time you give us this sort of bad news  ;)
Title: Re: Greenhouse vandalised !
Post by: mark smyth on February 05, 2010, 09:43:10 PM
Fred I think a wireless alarm would be good to 'look' for hands coming through windows
Title: Re: Greenhouse vandalised !
Post by: mark smyth on February 05, 2010, 09:52:39 PM
Just found this on Ebay
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Wireless-Outdoor-Driveway-Alert-Alarm_W0QQitemZ140379527304QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Burglar_Alarms?hash=item20af459888 (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Wireless-Outdoor-Driveway-Alert-Alarm_W0QQitemZ140379527304QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Burglar_Alarms?hash=item20af459888)
Title: Re: Greenhouse vandalised !
Post by: BULBISSIME on February 06, 2010, 10:06:47 AM
Yes Mark, You could use volumetric alarm + remote infrared IP camera for example
Title: Re: Greenhouse vandalised !
Post by: PDJ on February 06, 2010, 02:19:00 PM
Sorry to hear of your problems.  I worked in security for a while when work was in short supply.  We had similar problems at a number of sites and found putting things below the walls worked.  Very spiny prunings were always welcome and we also had success with empty plastic bottles, old pots, anything that was difficult to drop down onto.  Cages made from wire over the louvers would help, fitted proud of the louvers like an old fire guard.  It may be possible to get ready made cages used for protecting people from touching external heating exhausts like the ones used for oil and gas boilers which would still allow the louvers to open.
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