Celebrity gardeners such as Charlie Dimmock and Alan Titchmarsh may have prompted a surge in green-fingered pursuits, but the popularity of gardening has also brought out the light-fingered brigade, writes Zahra Akkerhuys.

We now spend an average of 32 on plants and accessories every time we go into a garden centre and as a result of this rush of outdoor enthusiasm, garden theft is blossoming.

On a national level, one in five people has been a victim of garden theft, or knows someone who has.

And in Oxfordshire, more than 133 garden-related thefts took place during the first six months of the year.

The cost of items stolen from gardens across the country came to 71m last year out of an estimated total of 168m from country homes and businesses, according to insurance group NFU Mutual.

There's a huge demand for black-market garden ornaments and equipment. Expensive and bulky items may be stolen to order and end up being shipped abroad, or simply turn up at a car boot sale. Stone lions, hanging baskets, pot plants and tubs, garden furniture, lawnmowers, chainsaws, power drills, statues, tractors, plants and seats are all in demand. Even ponds are not safe, as thieves will not hesitate to strip them and dig out the pond liner.

Thames Valley Police advises people to:

-Consider planting prickly plants around the edge of the garden. Suitable deterrents include pyracanthas, which grows to 15ft and has vicious, thorny stems.

-Keep garden statues near the house and, if possible, bolted to the ground.

-Lock away all tools and equipment in your shed when not in use. If you don't have a shed, bring the tools inside.

-Install outside security lighting to come on automatically.

-Extend your burglar alarm to cover outbuildings and sheds.

-Photograph valuable garden plants or ornaments.

-Mark your property with your postcode. This makes stolen property easier to trace andcan be done with ultra-violet marker pens, engraving, stamping or even paint.

Crime reduction officer Insp Steve Avil says: "This sort of theft is very seasonal and we urge people to be especially vigilant during the summer months.

"While it is important for people to get their homes secure, it also helps to extend that security to the garden, which can often provide easy pickings for thieves. Items such as hanging baskets, bird baths and large pots of plants are particularly at risk."

Other security measures to foil thieves include a gravel driveway, so unwelcome visitors are very audible as they approach, and keeping boundary fences, walls and gates in good repair.