Security issues - Theft of york stone paving slabs

[mikesomers]

Theft of York Paving slabs is an all too common occurrence here in SW Surrey. I have been attacked three times over three years, and have three queries about possible solutions:
1. Is there an effective way of fixing paving slabs of 0.5m X 0.5m and upwards that will be a real deterrent?
2. Is it advisable to apply a strong pointing between the slabs? and
3. Has anybody anything to say about the use of 'Smartwater' to mark the paving?
My insurance company is understandably getting twitchy and the disruption and policy excesses are infuriating and expensive.

[lutonlagerlout]

have heard that smartwater is good,not sure about outdoor use though
are they sneaking in people's back gardens to pinch the paving?
have you any reference to this??
I have heard a lot of apocryphal takes of stolen patios,but never from the horses mouth
regards LLL

[Dave_L]

My suggestion........it works!



and

[DNgroundworks]

I think maybe a strong bond bridge like a SBR/Cement slurry on a good bed would help as it would make the paving alot harder to pull up, apart from that i wouldnt know what to advise

would you not need a concrete base to use anchor bolts? Wouldnt get a fixing otherwise!

[mikesomers]

Thank you both for your replies.
Yes, LL they do just that. I was out for about 45 minutes the last time and returned to find 20 sq m missing. I feel sure that there was someone with a mobile tailing me. There was a case a bit before that in Frensham where the homeowner came back to find them at it and he was driven off with a crowbar!! Smartwater should work outside as it is widely used for lead on church roofs; my doubts in this case are that if the stone is stolen to lay for a new 'customer' (cash in hand, cheap quote, no questions asked) the ID will never come to light.
Thanks for your suggestion, Dave_L. The bolt, I assume, is anchored in a blind hole?
As I say, thenk you both.

[lutonlagerlout]

can you not beef up your security on your access?
be a lot cheaper than bolting flags down
cctv
decent locks
dogs

all the best
LLL

[GB_Groundworks]

as i've mentioned before, my sisters development company bought a £2m house, before demolition started 2 wagons a 3cx and about 10 guys turned up all hi vis and lifted all the yorkstone and salavage from the place. insurance paid out over £30k. neighbours even made them brews haha the cheek.

seen more and more of it rd here, we did a wall repair on main rd and with yorkstone coppings and then overlaid a decrotive steel band down the middle anchored into the wall like dave said, previous wall someone had just pulled up along side and knocked off all the copers one night. at 60-80m2 no wonder they are going missing.

[Pablo]

Other than beefing up your security I reckon Like DN says lay them onto a thick bed of strong sticky mortar/concrete and use a bond bridge. Perhaps some steel mesh through the bed and there is no way a pick etc will bust it up. It won't stop them completely but will be very very slow work. Have a word wih your neighbours and agree to let them know whenever work is going on that way when someone turns up you get a phone call and vice versa. Failing that I have a few old mates in Afghanistan they could sort you out with some mines for the right money. :;):



Edited By Pablo on 1254344485

[Dave_L]

I was only joking with my pictures of the Makita hammer and the bolt!

[haggistini]

booby traps are more fun to make and cheeper than relaying them
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/22/Trou-de-loup.png

[seanandruby]

Once i put a screw with rawl plug halfway in the bottom centre and layed on a wettish mix, extra work but made it difficult to move once gone off.

[GB_Groundworks]

unfortunately you have a duty of care to anyone on your property even if they are there to steal from you, we have some trip wire mines that take blank shot gun shells normally fix them across door ways in new build houses keep the kids out etc before they are water tight, don't half make a loud bank when you forget about them.

[mikesomers]

Reply to seanandruby
Yours was the solution tried last time; unfortunately it was only partially effective. It seems to need heavy gauge screw hooks laid into a deep layer of wet concrete. This time some of the flags were lifted complete with the underlying concrete.
Anyway, thanks for the suggestion.

[Mikey_C]

I know it is kind of admitting defeat, but might it pay to chosse a different type of paving that you like and that isn't attractive to thives?

[haggistini]

i gotta change about 20 block paviors saturday i might paint them gold today