Top Places Thieves Look for Valuables

If you want to stash cash and other valuables in your home, think very hard before you choose the perfect spot. Chances are good that the thieves are way ahead of you.

Hiding valuables in home can be trickier than you think. When you consider the top three things thieves want—cash, Jewelry, and electronics—and the owner’s need to keep the items close and safe, and in a memorable spot, it narrows down the options considerably. When you factor in the most common places people hide things, it is really no wonder why thieves can get so much in the typical 8 minutes it takes to commit a crime.

Here are the top places thieves look for valuables, and the places you want to avoid if you are going to stash important items.

• In the Kitchen— Unless you have a really good hiding spot, avoid hiding things in the kitchen. Thieves will check the top shelves, dry good containers, in the panty, under counters, and since being so prominently featured in television and movies they check the freezer as well.
• The Master Bedroom—Hiding things in the bedroom is so common that it would be difficult to find a spot that a thief would not already know. Under the bed, between the mattresses, in drawers and in the closet are all easy targets that pay off well for thieves.
• The Children’s Room—The children’s room is actually a prime target for thieves because kids rooms usually contain easily portable and high value electronic devices that are easily and quickly sold. For this reason, the children’s room is usually thoroughly ransacked.
• In the Toilet Tank— Hiding things in the toilet tank has become popular since being featured in crime movies, and because of that a common place thieves look.
• On Bookshelves—It takes only a moment to dump a shelf to expose anything hidden there, and it is a moment thieves will take.
• In an Unattached Small Safe—Thieves do not always work alone. A small safe not bolted down is an attractive target and fairly easily carried away by two people.
• Backpack, Suitcases, and Purses— Thieves love to find purses and anything else to hold the things they plan on taking from your home. If those things already contain valuables, it is a double win for the bad guys.

How to Protect Valuables

The best way to protect your valuables is by keeping thieves out of the home in the first place. Make your home unattractive to criminals by installing home security alarms, visible video surveillance systems, and other deterrents such as outdoor lighting, fencing and electronic gates. Always keep valuables out of plain sight.

If you need information on how to use home security systems and technologies to protect your home and simplify your life, please give us a call today.