To protect your belongings, you need to think smarter than a burglar.
Where should you hide your valuables? No matter how well you hide your things, a dedicated thief will no doubt try their best to find them in the few minutes they take. However, there’s no sense in leaving your door unlocked for their happy pickings. Don’t give away your money and pieces of jewellery by hiding them in the most obvious places possible.
Before you can say you’re clever by hiding your money under the mattress, here are some surprising and not-so-surprising places that burglars first check. Whether you’re protecting your cash, jewellery, or electronics, it’s best to read through these safety 101 tricks.
Common places burglars check
From your entryway to your basement, you’ll find that burglars can be thorough in their search for valuable goods.
Entryway drawers and cabinets
Desperate and rushing burglars might not have the time to go through the other hotspots in your house, so they’ll rummage through the drawers near your front door. Sometimes, they even hit the jackpot.
If you have a car parked in the garage or right outside, don’t make the mistake of leaving your keys near your entryway. That’s one of the easiest ways to say goodbye to your car.
Many people also put emergency or back-up cash and personal documents in the entryway, making it attractive pickings for burglars.
Display shelves and vases in the living room
You might be displaying valuables and equipment in your living room to impress your guest, but you’ll also be impressing would-be thieves. They will definitely thank you for showcasing the Rolex that your grandfather passed down to you. Having your valuables right out in the open is a huge risk to take.
You might think you’re smart by hiding things in plain sight, but you can trust that thieves will definitely check. Even decorative vases won’t be left unturned. However, putting in live flowers might throw them off the scent.
Under the mattress in the master’s bedroom
Almost everyone hides something under their bed, thanks to the easy accessibility. It’s all good if you’re just keeping something there for a while as you sleep, but it’s not a great idea when you’re out of the house. After all, even burglars will enjoy the easy accessibility of the mattress.
Because it’s so commonly used, burglars go all the way to the master’s bedroom even though it can be far from the front or back door. The drawers, closets, and space under the bed are still quite lucrative for thieves looking for money and jewellery.
The medicine cabinet in the bathroom
Nobody hides cash or jewelleries inside their medicine cabinet, but it’s still a favourite spot for burglars to look first. While they won’t find any precious stones, they might be able to find prescription drugs that they can sell under the table.
Prescription and controlled drugs, such as those for pain, can easily be sold for a great value in the black market, unfortunately for you and your health.
Office safe and drawers
Aside from the master bedroom, the office or study is one of the first places burglars check for valuables. Like the living room, some people have the habit of displaying valuables in their study shelves or office. That well-earned diamond necklace can serve as a motivation for you to work harder. Unfortunately, it can also attract the attention of thieves.
Additionally, many homeowners put their safes in their bedroom or in their study. Bolted, high-quality safes can be more trouble than its worth for most burglars. However, safes that are portable with one-click combinations can be quickly taken away. Because these safes are not bolted to the floor, burglars can just remove them and open the safes elsewhere.
Aside from safes, drawers are also prime hunting spots. People tend to put cash, personal documents, and essential items within easy reach. It’s best to invest in high-quality locked drawers to deter theft.
Finally, equipment like laptops, speakers, and headphones are usually found in the office. Even without getting any cash or jewellery, burglars can be satisfied with expensive equipment that they can resell in the black market.
Kitchen freezer and cans
For some reason, hiding cash and jewelleries in the kitchen has become popular. You might think you’re clever by wrapping your valuables in a generic plastic bag and stashing it inside a freezer, but don’t be too confident. If you’ve thought about it, a thief has probably thought about it too.
If a burglar has planned their raid with enough time, they’ll probably go through your freezer, cereal boxes, pantry, and even your dirty laundry just to hit the jackpot. As homeowners get smarter with their hiding places, so do thieves.
Basement wine cellar
It might not seem like a common place to check for valuables, but sometimes thieves can just be interested in getting away with a drink. If you’re dealing with burglars who are breaking and entering just for a good time, especially misguided youth, then they’ll probably be hitting the wine cellar too.
Keep your belongings safe from burglars
Fortunately, there are still ways you can keep your valuables safe from the sharp eyes of burglars. One popular and still effective tip is to mix your valuables in boxes mislabelled (or correctly labelled) with something incredibly dull and worthless. Burglars are unlikely to go through boxes labelled “sister’s clothes” or “college textbooks.”
Another way to keep most of your valuables safe is to leave out a decoy or red herring. Leave a significant yet small amount of money in one of the apparent places listed above. It can trick burglars into thinking they’ve successfully looted your place. Because they won’t want to take additional risks, they’ll probably be satisfied enough to call it a day.
Finally, a solid and high-quality lock and door system is a sure deterrent against burglars. Keep your Newcastle home safe and protected with the services of Ambassador Locksmith. With deadlocks, heavy safes, and state-of-the-art access systems, you’ll be more confident about protecting your valuables.
We also specialise in key cutting, re-keying, electronic locks, emergency lockout services, and many more. Contact Ambassador Locksmith at 0407 452 424 for more!