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For those with Asgard sheds. In the past month I've become aware of 2 Asgard sheds that have been successfully broken into and the contents stolen in Edinburgh. Nothing is impenetrable but these thefts were quite alarming
One shed belonged to someone associated with local MTB events and was the lifting pneumatic lid type. This was shared by the event page on Facebook and it looks like it took a fair amount of effort to get in. The bikes were also secured to a ground anchor. In this case it looks like the shed structure was attacked rather than the two padlocks.
The second was the two bike, supposedly "Police Approved" type. In this case it seems they literally just popped the door open with two crow bars.
Therefore I'd recommend that if you have an Asgard shed that you consider installing an alarm sensor to alert you that something is going on and a sounder to let the thieves know you're aware too. Ideally you'd also put in a ground anchor, and chain the bikes to it, to deter the thieves snatching the bike(s) easily once the alarm is triggered.
EDIT: Please consider what you post on this thread, we don't want it to be come a "How to guide" for getting into Asgard sheds.
They are made of 1.2mm galv sheets, so not exactly difficult to get into.
The videos online of people struggling to get into them are using short levers. A decent wrecking bar or a axe and a hammer or a battery angle grinder will all make short work of a tin shed.
They are better than the cheap metal sheds that you can pop open with a screwdriver, but they are not overly robust.
Its very difficult to stop somebody stealing something, you can generally just make it slower/more difficult/noisy/riskier.
damn - got an asgard shed this summer; following extensive googling that failed to find a single report of one being successfully broken into.
I wouldn’t store a bike in it without a ground anchor anyway.
If someone wants to get in, they'll get in. Make your bikes the least appealing/least easy to get to and you'll probably never have an issue.
As far as non permanent garages/bike sheds go, they're definitely one of the best on the market. Brick built will obviously be better but come with much more work/restrictions etc.
Its very difficult to stop somebody stealing something, you can generally just make it slower/more difficult/noisy/riskier
It's impossible to stop somebody stealing something. You could potentially make it as expensive to steal as it's worth, I guess, but that would probably cost you several times more than the thing you were protecting!
Have to agree with above posts, although they’re good boxes they’re not impenetrable
I took the specs of one of their sheds to my local engineering company who made me one similar in much heavier grade steel with much higher security doors and locking system with a massive anchor welded inside too 👍
As with all security you need to add other measures such as cctv and alarms
I'd love to get one and keep one of those big **** off silent, no bark attack dogs in it.
Aye, it was Edinburgh though, they'd steal the sauce from yer chips over there....
OP. I have no idea what made you think asgard sheds were particularly secure. I'd have thought it obvious that they only offer very limited protection. Thst much is blatantly obvious from looking at the crap padlock they come with. A system is only as strong as its weakest link and the fact that they didn't think it worth upgrading the padlock speaks volumes.
The online video tweet of some toff that I think works for them pretending to try to gain entry to one using a screwdriver was just cringeworthy.
I got one purely because the rground floor rental flat I was in had sash windows with no.locks. so the box was a bit more secure than that, but not much.
I got rid of it when I got a house.
So if it’s the 2 bike one here - it’s not police approved. Just been provided to the police
http://www.asgardsss.co.uk/twin-bike-locker
the police approved one (3 bike model) would be harder to force a crowbar into. There is a lot of protection around the edges of the doors and around the roof to try and prevent access for a bar
when I spoke to asgard when buying mine, they said that they were aware that the “lift up” lid one could be broken into
If they were padlock ones them that's not really surprising, they make ones with proper deadlock and 5 point locks.
My one is one of those with the proper lock, it's a full size walk in motorbike model but there were similar priced metal sheds around the same price that used a padlock, who thought that was a good idea needs shooting.
I'm sure if someone came tooled up they'd be able to break in but having had nearly £10ks worth of motor/mountain bikes in there I'm happy with it's security and the most ipmoimpor thing of my bikes being out of sight.
....blatantly obvious from looking at the crap padlock they come with. A system is only as strong as its weakest link
Actually, with one of the break ins the padlocks weren't touched!
@tmb467 thanks for the police approval clarification.
Some good news though, the Edinburgh police operation to catch organised bike thieves seems to be paying off
https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/man-charged-over-62-bike-thefts-in-edinburgh-1-4836376
http://www.asgardsss.co.uk/twin-bike-locker
this is the link from before. I seem to have messed up the other one
That one doesn't have a floor, unless it's bolted down with some big ass bolts into a solid concrete base, there's your weak point! 😀 The door lock is similar to the full size garages but not quite as hefty.
Ive always thought Asgard are a bit of a ‘look at me I’ve got expensive bikes in here’ thing
IMO much better with normal shed, alarmed, then put the bikes inside big filing cabinets etc.
Yes the bike might actually be less secured but 1st they need to get in the shed, then the alarm will go off and then they run away before even opening the filing cabinet to know that a bike is there.
I am sure any thief that sees one of those in the Garden knows there is something in expensive in there, it's far easier to use a spare room in your home as a safe place.
Personally I just make sure I have good insurance if the thief's want it they will try hard and get it. Along as no harm come's to me and my family they are welcome to whatever I can replace.
I thought about an Asgard but happy I didn't bother. Decided for what my bikes are worth it wasn't worth it. I have a wooden shed that's been beefed up internally and survived three unsuccessful break ins. I've had to do a bit of repair work afterwards but the alarm went off before they'd gotten very far the last time and they didn't hang around with the alarm kicking off. If we're going away the bikes go in the house. I've thought about cameras but not felt the need to do anything about it given all the measures I've taken up to now.
it’s far easier to use a spare room in your home as a safe place.
Or keep them in the shed and pay for a good insurance policy with all the money you've saved on buying a house thats too big.
Our Asgard has paid for itself 3 times now, with adjacent shed having been broken into and bikes left untouched.
Our Asgard has paid for itself 3 times now, with adjacent shed having been broken into and bikes left untouched.
Which model do you have? Seems that not all Asgard sheds are equal
If you can afford an Asgard, you can probably afford decent insurance too. Practically impossible to stop a determined thief, so the best bet is 'belt & braces' with a proper policy that covers posh bikes.
I can wreck any security with the tools in the back of my van. Failing that if they’re in your house do you know how easy it is to open a door? If someone is that determined you won’t stop them but putting off the casual junked up housebreaker is far easier.
blatantly obvious from looking at the crap padlock they come with. A system is only as strong as its weakest link
Actually, with one of the break ins the padlocks weren’t touched!
Erm, yes. That's exactly my point. The padlocks are shit, on first glance you'd have thought they would have upgraded them, then you realise that actually the padlocks aren't the weakest part of the system so there's no point in upgrading them
Capeesh?
https://www.externalworksindex.co.uk/entry/118500/Cleveland-Sitesafe/Bikesafe-quad-bike-store/#
Id be thinking about one of these if I had a number of expensive bikes and no d3cent outbuilding.
Capeesh?
Capito adesso.
I see your point now
Isnt the biggest problem with an Asgard shed the fact that its an Asgard shed?
I mean it screams "I've got bikes inside".
I think it depends on the situation
Some people here have them in their front gardens, e.g. upper/lower villas. The gardens are small and close to the street and the sheds are very obvious. But, I think that's ok as they won't be quiet to break into, lots of potential to be seen/heard by someone. The exposed nature of the shed location and the fact it's an Asgard rather than a wooden or plastic shed will help here.
However if someone discovers one secluded at the end of a garden then it being an Asgard might indicate that it's worth a go at
I mean it screams “I’ve got bikes inside”.
This is what always puts me off such sheds and obvious security. Keep out the opportunists and maybe lesser determined, but attracts the very determined experts, and then target again knowing you'll have insurance.
Even front garden where they can be seen. It doesn't take long with a digger or forklift, ram through garden wall*, wrench shed from ground and gone (and probably enough to wrench ground anchors out too). I mean they ram raid cash machines in very public places with this stuff, and probably have a similar value in cash as a fancy shed full of expensive bikes. The bikes are much easier to shift too and virtually no risk of cops bothering to catch them.
* someone crashed into my garden wall on a very busy road (not a theft attempt as far as I know), and despite checking with various neighbours and even council who were doing roadworks just along the road, no one noticed anything.
Even front garden where they can be seen. It doesn’t take long with a digger or forklift
It would be very noisy and just about the slowest getaway imaginable though.
As I say, crashing into my garden wall, given the extent of damage and remains of vehicle that did it, would have been very noisy. No one batted an eyelid. Though I something feel too busy a place makes people turn a blind eye. A quiet curtain twitching area would have people dashing out.
But yeah, getaway slow, but then the cash machine ram raiders just use them to extract then leave the digger and somehow escape with the contents.
I mean they ram raid cash machines in very public places with this stuff, and probably have a similar value in cash as a fancy shed full of expensive bikes. The bikes are much easier to shift too and virtually no risk of cops bothering to catch them.
I'd like the think the average cash machine probably has more money in it than the average asgard shed.
Yes, some might have a couple of £5000 bikes, but most will probably have a lawnmower, maybe some other garden bits like a hose, and then a £500 bike. Whereas a cash machine? £10k on average?
Also, bikes are easier to shift than, erm... cash?
Chances are if someone wants to steal your £10k bike and they're professional enough they'll have done some research, i.e. followed you home, checked your coming and goings, checked when you put the bike. And if they've gone to that length, they're probably good enough to get into your house/shed/garage or wherever you choose to store your bike. A decent metal shed will put off the vast majority of casual thieves, and it'll probably make life hard enough for decent thieves that they might not bother unless they actually KNOW what's inside. And if they know what bike you have and it's worth the risk, not much will stop them coming into your home with you inside to steal it.
I don't think I've ever seen soneoso going to this lentgh to get into a bike shed: https://www.kentonline.co.uk/weald/news/cash-machine-stolen-from-high-street-store-193722/
I'm thinking of a metal shed to store all our miscellaneous garage crap sonI can free up space in the actual garage. Most expensive item would be a cheap Flymo or perhaps a cheap bike rack.
Portable angle grinder and some time on a windy night and a few minutes and youre in, a simple way to gain access, but quite obvious, and easily stopped by adding an extra security feature to the shed, cant possibly say on a live forum
it’s far easier to use a spare room in your home as a safe place.
This made me chortle, surely the whole point of asgard tin sheds for bikes, is that the people buying them don't have a "spare room" for bikes in their mansion...
In all honesty I reckon a decent timber shed, built on a concrete base is about as secure as a tin one. In as much as those breaking in to it will require tools and make about as much noise, drawing possible attention to themselves and it will slow them down about as much, an anchor, chains and locks once they are in will be as effective in either instance.
One other thing to maybe consider when locking multiple bikes in any enclosure is leaving your least favourite/cheapest bike less secure or even unlocked, in the hope that they'll take that in preference to the posher bike(s) as there's less effort/risk required. Kind of limiting your losses as a last gamble, assuming you are robbed by an opportunist rather than a more serious organised criminal...
In all honesty I reckon a decent timber shed, built on a concrete base is about as secure as a tin one.
I got a quote from PedalCover for home insurance. I asked about shed cover. They said they'd only insure Asgard type sheds unless you could demonstrate your wooden shed was seriously beefed up.
(Also they said don't declare you have a house alarm fitted as this could tie you into it always being set at night and when you're out, and having to have a maintenance contract in place)
On the cash point front I’d suggest £60k-£80k is more likely for contents of a cash point. And cash is a lot easier to shift than bikes......
And cash is a lot easier to shift than bikes……
I would think (or at least hope) that the serial numbers of the cash in the cash point are known. So it's dirty money. Laundering £60k-£80k isn't that straight forward.
Doubt it. They’ll be sorted by a machine in a cash centre and bundled into £1000 denominations, then into bags of say £5k. They get delivered by courier to a cash point and then inserted. Unless they’re new notes there will be no sorting by serial or is think recording of them.
And lets say they’re stolen and gradually laundered via small businesses into banks - who will check serial numbers?
I’d say it’s much easier to get rid of that then someone’s pride and joy that they’re checking eBay / fb classifieds etc to try and track it down.
Yeah, reflecting on it, the tracking of where every note in cashpoints is would be a huge task. I'm probably talking rubbish.
<p>Yeah, reflecting on it, the tracking of where every note in cashpoints is would be a huge task. I’m probably talking rubbish.</p>
<p>When G4S (who do most of the banks) get the notes they simply go through a large scanner that sorts them for reissue or destruction. Thats it. </p>
In all honesty I reckon a decent timber shed, built on a concrete base is about as secure as a tin one.
Based on my own [bitter] experience, one of the advantages of the 'Police Approved' Asgard type bike sheds is that the thieves can't actually get inside them to work on chains, anchors and padlocks etc - unlike most wooden sheds (even the 'security' ones) which once broken into can allow the thieves to work undisturbed ...
Unless they’re new notes there will be no sorting by serial or is think recording of them.
It is many, many years since new notes came from the Royal Mint in consecutive number order. Tracking notes via their serial numbers is almost impossible.
Based on my own [bitter] experience, one of the advantages of the ‘Police Approved’ Asgard type bike sheds is that the thieves can’t actually get inside them to work on chains, anchors and padlocks etc – unlike most wooden sheds (even the ‘security’ ones) which once broken into can allow the thieves to work undisturbed …
I believe a small metal shed out in the open is more secure than the same shed inside a garage or larger shed, exactly for the reasons you state.