It’s funny that while reading this I suddenly had insight as to why someone would bury treasure in their back yard! Ah ha!
My friend had her house burglarized. They went to the master BR first and then to the “library” ransacking books, hoping to find a safe or something behind the books. Then the freezer.
My aunt hid her jewelry underneath the liners in her trash baskets and her husband once dumped the baskets upside down…along with her jewelry !
I wear my good jewelry often; and the 2 boxes I have in the bank are full too. I rotate. The best place to hide is really in the garage where no one would look.
Maybe the best strategy might be to get some jewelry that looks real in the time & light that most robbers have, and hide it in the obvious hiding places, such as in the lingerie drawer. Then put the real stuff in a more creative place. Once the thief finds the first hidden cache, they might move on to the electronics.
Why bother hiding it when the costume stuff looks more impressive than the real stuff?
In my neck of the woods, burglars go for tools. Sheds and garages are the first targets.
When traveling internationally I remember a woman was caught with gold jewelry hidden in her ponds cold cream jar at customs. She was carrying 22k gold.
You’re allowed to travel internationally w pricey jewellery. There’s no issue as long as it’s your personal property and not intended for sale.
Everyone I know has a security system. Hint: they only work if you turn them on. There is a house around here that is the ugliest house that I have ever seen. I have seen (from the outside) they seem to have major serous art work. They have these metal solid blinds that seal up the house. I can’t imagine living like that. But unless it is a contract robbery a casual thief couldn’t get anything.
@BunsenBurner – do you mean the contractors’ tools? We have the random theft of copper gutters and contractors’ tools. Sometimes the new appliances that have been delivered but not yet installed.
Some home break-ins but far more crimes of opportunity. So many people leave their cars unlocked with valuables inside. Or leave a handbag on front seat of car while at the gym and front window is broken. Or my favorite: leaving the expensive watch in the unlocked locker at the gym.
One clever crew used ladders found on the property to climb on roof, cut hole, and drop in so as to avoid alarm system. That sounds very Ocean’s 11 (or whatever # sequel they are on now). Failing to stop the newspaper delivery is a huge flag.
CT1417, based on what the local paper reports, in my area, homeowners’ power tools are a big target. Those things are expensive!! Why risk going into the house when there is a jackpot in the garage or shed where there is no alarm system? So storing valuables in the garage might be not such a great idea.
Over the last few years, break ins have really increased in our larger area. Burglars seem to watch houses and/or knock on the door and, if no one’s home, go around the back, break in and are in and out in 4-5 minutes. Many home owners have alarm systems and cameras but that doesn’t appear to be a deterrent as a response can’t come that quickly. We have an active ‘Next Door’ online community and have had videos posted of the burglars in action and the police do their best but with only moderate success. We’ve recently added locks our side gates to deter would be burglars (one of the suggestions made by our local police).
Regarding jewelry, way before this rash of break ins, maybe 10 years ago, I purchased an in wall safe online for $250 and paid a handyman $100 to install it in between studs in my closet (behind my hanging clothes). I love having it and can’t believe how inexpensive it was. I keep my good jewelry that I don’t wear every day in it along with important documents such as birth certificates, etc. I also now feel comfortable keeping cash in the house. We live in earthquake country and I am comforted knowing that if we have an emergency and things go down/stop working, we have cash. I also really appreciate that it’s in my bedroom so no hassle around retrieving my items when I want them.
When you buy a safe, you send a signal that you have valuables. Rule #1: it is better to use cash instead of paying for your safe with a credit card. The seller will not know where it is going. Rule #2: never have anyone other than immediate family members install your safe. The reason is obvious.
Best deterrent to a home robbery is to have a barking dog. I’ve read reports where they interview criminal convicts and dogs are always mentioned. Burglars will likely just pick another house to target rather than deal with a noisy dog.
Dunno–several of our robbed neighbors had dogs. Sometimes the burglars drug or injure the dogs or make friends with them in advance trips.
Yes, I’m sure tho that burglars prefer not to be seen or heard, when possible.
Good jewelry? What’s that?
The wedding ring on my finger is my good jewelry and that’s about it!
We once had an expat posting in a developing country where friends of ours came home from a party to find one dog dead and the other dog dying. Robbers had thrown poisoned meat into the yard.
While the robbers waited for the dogs to die, they invaded the house next door, tied up the family, threatened them at knife-point to reveal where the valuables were kept, then ransacked the house.
This brings up the subject of protection. We also have been seeing an increase of break ins in our large neighborhood…during the day. We don’t have a security system, and I’ve been telling DH we seriously need to consider one, i don’t think our house has been as easy or desirable as a target as 3 sides face common areas where it’s very easily seen. But it’s not invincible I know. I’ve been telling DH it’s not the doors that I worry about, it’s the kitchen window. Well, sure enough, someone broke into a neighbors window down the street during mid morning when no one was home.
The alarm went off, but I don’t know if they proceeded into the house, or left.
I toy with buying a dog guard dog on and off. But we had two terriers 20 years ago. The work involved in dog ownership exhausts me just thinking about it, and I don’t really think I want to commit to that over the next 10 years. I think it’s time to invest in a home system.
When we were first married, we bought a townhouse that had a security system. I was home alone a lot since H was in med school / residency and had crazy hours. Our home has one. I consider it kind of a basic at this point. I have to say, I never really considered hiring stuff in odd places, ever, til this thread. I enjoy having a pretty jewelry box. My D has one too (though she keeps her good jewelry at home, as she is in a city apartment). I get tucking valuables into a sock drawer - I’m storing some jewelry for my mom and I’m keeping it there so it doesn’t get mixed up with my stuff - but this storing things in a coffee can, freezer, whatever concept is a little nutty to me!! Just seems so fraught with trouble when it’s forgotten.
My house has hurricane windows and doors, so I feel pretty safe. Still, I keep the good jewelry, inherited from mom, in bank safe.
I don’t hide anything and I have good jewelry. Each piece has been photographed and insured. I keep it right in my bedroom because I switch stuff out all the time. Why own it if you have to remember to drive to the bank to be able to wear it?
We have so few break ins in my County and never in my neighborhood.