How many secret hiding places do you have in your house?
You know, the hidden locations where you hide your valuables thinking that no one will ever find them. Places like the shelf in the top of the closet, the underwear drawer of your dresser, a cereal box or flour container in your kitchen.
Many people lure themselves into thinking that the secret hiding places they choose for their prized possessions won’t be found by criminals. Unfortunately, thieves leave no stone unturned or drawer unopened when they burglarize a house.
For a case in point take the two teenagers who formed the Bling Ring in southern California, Rachel Lee and Nick Prugo. Before they started their year-long crime spree, they got their feet wet by burglarizing the house of a friend who was out of town. Even though they were complete amateurs, who had never broken into a home before, they made off with $8,000 in cash that they found in perhaps the worst of all secret hiding places… under the bed!
So, to help protect your important documents and treasured items, we recommend using the following rule of thumb:
If it needs a secret hiding place, it needs to be in a safe!
Now, when people think of safes, one of the first things they think of – besides “heist” movies – are the giant vaults found at banks. Frankly, that’s not a bad place to start. If you have a large quantity of jewelry, valuables, or important papers that you simply need to store someplace, a safe deposit box at your local bank may be the best solution.
If, on the other hand, you have prized possessions or cash that you may need to access quickly, consider purchasing a home safe. That’s right, a good ol’ fashion, spin-the-dial or type-in-the-code armored box. Safes are heavy, affordable, and go against everything most criminals value and hold dear – namely, the quick, easy score.
