We know what you’re thinking: “Who would want to steal my lawn tools?”

Although your lawn equipment might not sound appealing, it’s a crime that occurs more often than you think.

Just this past April, an Ohio woman told police thieves stole her $2,000 lawn tractor right out of her yard.

Even though your yard and garden tools might not seem like glamorous items, they are valuable. Don’t wait for someone to steal your lawn essentials. Read on to learn how you can keep your yard tools safe this summer.

Install Outdoor Cameras

Don’t think a surveillance system is worth the investment to protect your lawn equipment? Think again.

In May of 2017, home security cameras caught a man using his truck to steal $1000 worth of lawn equipment from a homeowner’s garage. The thief was later identified and arrested after the victim posted the footage on Facebook.

Home security cameras are one of the most effective ways to keep your property safe. When installing outdoor cameras to protect your lawn equipment, consider placing them:

  • Above or inside all garages.
  • Above the front and back entrance of your home.
  • Near all outdoors sheds, barns and trailers.
  • Overlooking driveways.

Place your cameras high enough so they can’t be tampered with and ensure each one has been weather proofed to avoid any malfunction.

Implement Motion-Activated Lights

Light is a major deterrent for thieves. When your property is well lit, you can uncover hiding places thieves may be lurking. Consider installing motion-activated smart lights that turn on whenever activity is detected. The lights use infrared waves that radiate off of moving objects. When the detector senses these waves, the lights turn on immediately.

Not only are these helpful for securing your yard equipment, they can also reinforce your home’s security. Consider installing motion-activated lights in your backyard and near all sheds, barns and garages where lawn equipment is stored.

Lock Away All Equipment

Locking up your equipment is one of the easiest ways to keep it protected. With chains and padlocks, you can secure all your equipment, including:

  • Chain saws
  • Leaf blowers
  • Mowers
  • Pressure washers
  • Tillers and cultivators
  • Trimmers and hedgers

If you store lawn tools in a shed, trailer, barn or garage, ensure the doors are locked. Also, keep the keys to your machinery in a safe place and never leave them in the ignition.

Register, Identify and Record Your Lawn Equipment

Most, if not all, heavy-duty lawn equipment comes with a serial number. Ensure you keep the seller note and register your tools. You can usually do this by going to the manufacturer’s website.

Also, identify your equipment and etch your contact information into your tools. This will make it harder for thieves to sell to someone else. We recommend keeping a record of all information by:

  • Writing down the serial number, model, make, date of purchase and warranty information of all valuable equipment. Make copies of the information in case it’s also stolen.
  • Take pictures of your equipment from multiple angles just in case you need to prove stolen items are yours.
  • Engrave a unique symbol somewhere on the lawn equipment so it’s easily identifiable.

How do you keep your lawn equipment safe? Share in the comments below.