Protecting your patio furniture from theft can be a little difficult. First of all, items are left outdoors, which makes them the perfect target because they often aren’t secured. Secondly, some of the patio items are pretty expensive (Pizza Ovens, Grills, Outdoor Kitchen stuff, etc!) It can be a bit of a challenge to fully secure your furniture, which is why we’ve put this article together to show you how to protect patio furniture from theft!
There are a few ways you can help to better protect your outdoor furniture. This article will explore the various ways you can do so which can help to give you peace of mind when leaving patio furniture outside.
Is There a Type of Furniture That is Most Often Stolen?
The type of furniture stolen really depends on the culprit and what they’re looking for. However, some of the most sought-after items by thieves tend to be BBQ grills, portable fireplaces, garden art, plants, and even items like shovels. If one happens to have these items, it’s a good idea to watch them closely.
How Do I Anchor Furniture to the Ground?
Properly anchoring patio furniture to the ground will vary, as it depends on the item one buys. Virtually all require one to tie a cord to the furniture and secure it to the ground with a special anchor which can be put into the grass or another surface.
If your patio furniture is on a deck, you may be able to use deck down ties to anchor your furniture to the ground. These work pretty well to hold furniture down, though by themselves they do not deter theft.
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You should pay close attention to the directions of the furniture anchor you buy to ensure it’s installed correctly. Besides theft, anchors can also help to protect the furniture from flying away in heavy wind.
How to Protect Patio Furniture from Theft
You can help to fully protect your patio furniture from theft by using a few helpful methods. Below are some ways one can help to better prevent thieves from stealing their furniture.
Use Locks
A lock is a simple way to help better protect your furniture from theft. Locks come in various styles and are usually affordable, so you can invest in multiple locks without breaking the bank.
There are many different models one can use, such as traditional cable locks which can be woven through your patio furniture pieces, and all secured together. These are ideal if you can tie up multiple pieces together, even if you need extension cables to make everything connected. The more you attach together, the harder it is to move any of it without unlocking the lock.
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If you are looking to secure items, but don’t have any posts or walls to attach to, you may want to pick up some P-Locks and insert them into the ground. These work quite well at deterring casual theft but can be overcome by a determined thief. They are much better than nothing, regardless.
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Install Cameras
While cameras might be a little expensive, they are a helpful way to ensure you have a close eye on your outdoor possessions. Cameras can be installed on the top of your house or in a more discreet way under an eave, on a post, etc. You can invest in cameras that come hidden in plastic rocks or lights, such as the Maximus Craftsman security light.
These look like nothing more than a regular house light, but have an outdoor camera built inside them. These can usually connect to a phone or some other similar device so one can watch the area the camera is filming. Of course, you’ll need a light set up in order to use this style of camera.
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Another option is a small motion detecting waterproof outdoor camera like the Lilexo Mini Hidden Spy Camera, a slick little rechargeable night vision capable outdoor camera. These are ideal since they are totally wireless, rechargeable, and motion sensing, so they are extremely simple to deploy.
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There are some outdoor cameras that have solar panels which allow them to charge up without any assistance from you! These designs (like the Reolink camera shown below) are great, though they’re a bit more expensive. Less hassle and the camera footage is easily viewable on your phone using the app!
Last update on 2025-05-15 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Use Lighting
Lighting is an extremely helpful way to keep thieves out of the yard. You will find many different types of lighting to help deter thieves, but one of the best is motion detecting lights.
Motion Detecting Lights
These lights will stay off until motion is triggered so they don’t run up your electric bill. They also won’t cause an annoyance with their bright lights, as they’ll only go off if motion is detected in front of them.
When they do go off, you’ll know that something is outside and to go check on it. Additionally, the sudden burst of lighting will deter thieves and they’ll try to get out of its range which can help to better protect the furniture from theft.
Typically these lights are installed up high and aimed down as floodlights.
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However, there are also ground-based motion detecting lights that can function as path lights, ambient lighting, and security lighting.
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Of course, the big downside of motion detecting lights is that they are often triggered by animals, local dogs and cats, wildlife prowling your patio after dark, etc. You’ll likely get far more false alarms than true attempted robberies when using motion lights, and they may go off more frequently than you would like.
Standard Flood Lighting
Motion detection lighting isn’t the only thing that can be used. Instead, you can keep lighting on at night constantly. While these lights might be bright, the yard will always be lit up which can help to deter thieves even more. This uses the same theory that most municipalities use: always-on street lights tend to deter thieves.
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Any flood light will do, though you probably want to stick with LED if you plan on leaving it on for most or all of the night. Your electric bill won’t hurt quite so much with LEDs!
Use Fencing
Fencing is a simple way to help better protect patio furniture. Not only can it add more of a unique ambiance to your patio, but it can deter thieves and even animals from walking around near your stuff.
While fences come in a variety of styles, it’s best to use a high fence if one wants to deter thieves. These towering structures will not only give the yard privacy, but keep thieves out because they have no way of climbing it or getting in it.
You probably want to check with your local Building Department and/or HOA before installing a fence (especially a high one), as some areas require permits for certain types of fence.
Lock Any Gates in the Yard
If one already has a fence or border around the area their patio furniture is in, that can help to prevent theft. However, many often forget to lock the structure’s gates even though they might be closed.
It’s very important to keep the gates locked because if they are not thieves can easily slip furniture through them. One can lock it with the structure’s built-in system or buy an additional security contraption, like a padlock, to help better secure it.
Use Alarms
Alarms can be set around the patio area to go off when motion is detected. Just like with motion detection light, when the alarm senses movement, it will emit a loud sound. This can help to alert a homeowner instantly of potential thieves in their yard.
Alarms come in various types. One will find that there are some that can be installed on the furniture itself while others can be placed on the ground near where the furniture is (like the 1byone alarm system shown below).
The alarms will often shriek loudly, so there’s no need to worry about one not hearing them.
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Move Your Patio Furniture Indoors
While probably not ideal for many, one of the best ways to ensure patio furniture is free from theft is by moving your patio furniture indoors.
You can put it in their garage or store it in a shed which can help to keep it better protected. While this is a bit more strenuous, it can help to fully deter thieves as the furniture will no longer be in the open. And of course, some items (like an Acapulco chair, Ethanol Fireplace, or hanging egg chair) will look just as great indoors as they do outdoors!
Conclusion – Secure Patio Furniture
Protecting your patio from theft can be a bit tricky, but with these tips, you can make your patio surprisingly secure without much effort or cost.
By simply using a few locks, throwing on some cameras, or setting up a few motion alarms, thieves will stay clear of the area.
We wish you the best of luck keeping your patio furniture safe and secure!
Thank you for your helpful hints. Your advice is greatly appreciated! I look forward to applying this new information by implementing a few of your suggestions around our house and patio soon. God bless you and keep up the good work!