The one thing everyone who has been the victim of a household break-in will agree on is that you are left feeling violated because your privacy has been invaded. Add to that the loss of sentimental items which money can’t replace and it’s not something you want happening to you.
What you can do to secure your valuables
Understanding that burglary is a crime of opportunity helps you plan to outsmart the burglars. They don’t want to spend time looking for things and will go to the most obvious spots to find what they’re after. They typically won’t search places that are uninteresting, are difficult to access and are messy.
Try some of these ingenious places to hide your valuables:
1. Hollowed out books on your bookshelf. Make sure you have a large number of books so that they don’t appear to be out of place. Instead of destroying a perfectly good book, find these at a home decor store like @Home.
2. Place small items in old VHS cases – they’re no longer in fashion so are unlikely to appeal to thieves.
3. Create false bottoms in your bathroom trash can or kitchen cupboards. They are unlikely to rifle through your trash or wade through your tupperware drawer.
4. Store documents wrapped in plastic at the back of your freezer. They’ll probably even survive a fire!
5. Use a small airtight container to conceal small items like jewellery and hide it in a pot plant. Make sure you don’t forget and throw it out when you replace the potting soil…
6. Use the mundane to your advantage by placing valuables inside boxes marked “Christmas Decorations”, filing etc.
7. A jewellery box is only good for your costume jewellery but should not be used for your grandmother’s engagement ring or your tennis bracelet. It is way too obvious for the good stuff.
8. Never use a lock to secure your valuables – it’s too obvious and burglars will simply take the whole box – even if it is a wall safe.
So think out the box for better results this year! It might just save you lots of heartache.
