Tom
(Sorry Hobie. While certainly OT, didn't seem to be Politics, would be Humor if it wasn't so sad, Idiots just seemed to fit...)
Council tells allotment holders NOT to lock sheds in case thieves wreck them during break-in
Allotment holders are being urged not to lock their sheds - in case burglars damage them while breaking in.
They have been warned that padlocks force robbers to smash their way through doors and windows, damaging the buildings in the process.
Bristol City Council is advising allotment holders not to leave expensive equipment where it might be targeted - and residents with only minor items such as tools should consider leaving their sheds unlocked.
The council has issued a letter to one site of allotment holders which reads: 'Don't padlock your shed, it can save the shed being damaged if someone does try to get into it. If there is a break-in, always inform the police.'
But gardeners at Bifield Allotments, in the Stockwood area of the city, say the measure will leave their property unprotected.
Pensioner Terry Nichols, 71, who has rented a plot at the site for more than 25 years, said: 'It beggars belief that the council are telling us to leave our sheds wide open.
'Everyone who has an allotment has been sent a letter. I've never read anything so ridiculous in all my life.
'Imagine what the response would be if they told council tenants to leave their houses unlocked to stop them getting damaged during a burglary.'
Police said gardeners should ignore the council's advice.
