With the official arrival of British summertime on 25th March this year, gardeners have been warned by Co-operative Insurance (CIS) to make sure their equipment is properly insured or risk reaping heartache as the criminals come out in the better weather.

The warmer summers and a raft of popular TV gardening programmes have created a boom in garden-related expenditure which too often results in opportunist raids by thieves looking for easy pickings.

Garden equipment like lawnmowers, rotavators and power washers are all sought-after items for burglars, as are decorative items like statues, pots and urns. These items are easily portable and explain why the theft of garden equipment has become such a growth area.

David Neave, director of general insurance at CIS, said: “Nowadays people are spending increasing sums of money on their gardens, in particular when the sun is shining. However, many people fail to appreciate the total value of their garden items and, more importantly, how to safeguard them against being picked up by thieves.”

He continued: “Garden valuables can be protected through your home insurance, but it is important to pay special attention to your policy and check exactly what is covered.

“Given the amount of time and money we now spend looking after our gardens, it should only be expected that we devote the same care and attention to the outside as well as the inside of our homes.”