Locksmiths Newcastle / Lake Macquarie

Should You Have a Safe in Your Home?

Should You Have a Safe in Your Home?

How safe is your home? Here are the facts according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Crime Victimisation Survey.

  • In 2016, there were 188,756 reported cases of unlawful entry in Australia – that’s around one every 3 minutes.
  • Break-ins are most likely to occur at 5pm on a Friday afternoon in October.
  • Western Australia and the Northern Territory have the highest burglary rates in the country.
  • The most common items stolen are cash, laptops, jewellery, cameras, mobile phones, wallets, handbags, IDs, credit cards, and home entertainment appliances.
  • Australia burglary rates are lower than the UK, on par with the US, and twice as high as Japan, Sweden, Spain, and Germany.

A home safe provides you with a secure place to store your valuables and important documents at a relatively low cost.

Quick guide when choosing a home safe

Gather all the items that you would like to secure and visualise how they will fit in a safe.

What is the primary purpose of the safe?

If you need a box that keeps your important stuff from getting stolen, then you should choose a theft-resistant safe. These are specifically designed to protect against burglars and are rated based on their level of security.

If you need to secure documents, then get a fire-resistant safe. In the event of a fire, the internal insulation of the safe will detect extreme heat and release moisture to keep the temperature below the level of paper ignition. These safes provide minimal theft resistance.

What size do you need?

Put your valuables in a pile to determine the size and capacity you need. Note that the external dimensions of a safe are larger than its internal dimensions. It is strongly recommended that you purchase a safe that is much bigger than you currently need. The extra capacity allows you to store additional items in the future.

What items will you store in the safe?

Items that are of high value should be stored in a theft-resistant safe. These include cash, jewellery, laptops, and cameras.

Important documents should be stored in a fire-resistant safe. These include personal documents, financial records, and wills.

Photographs, rolls of film, media discs, and computer drives should be stored in a safe with data protection.

Guns such as pistols and rifles should be stored in a safe that is highly secure and able to resist forced entry.

How much are you willing to spend for a safe?

As with any purchase, expect to get what you pay for. Homes safes are an important investment and the right price for you will be determined by size, type, rating, and quality.

There are many cheap inferior products sold at hardware and retail outlets. While their low price seems attractive, they generally do not provide enough protection. Look for fire protection ratings or cash ratings before looking at the sticker price.

Beware of used safes! Second hand safes may have been broken into and repaired prior to sale and you won’t know any defects just by physical appearance.

Where should you install your safe?

If you are locking items that you do not use very often, then hide your safe in an obscure location. If you intend to put items that you need to access regularly, install your safe in a place that is not too difficult to reach. The experts at Ambassador Locksmiths can help you determine if your intended location is able to support the weight of the safe you want to install.

Seek expert advice from expert Newcastle locksmiths

When it comes to securing your valuables, only trust an accredited safe provider. Don’t rely on the opinion of a salesman at a shopping centre; seek expert advice from experienced locksmiths. Ambassador Locksmiths Newcastle employs professional safe technicians who only install highly rated home safes. Contact us today for more enquiries.