Burglary is a quick and precise crime, often with the intruder spending mere minutes inside a property. For a swift and productive break in, this means that many burglars will stick to a quick search of the typical hiding places: wardrobes, sock drawers etc. where most people hide their valuables.
This provides opportunity for some creativity as more and more inventive hiding places are being thought of in attempt to combat theft. Here LockRite will provide our 5 most creative ideas for secret hiding places for your valuables in your home.
1: Plant Pot – If you have any large potted plants in your home, (preferably fake), this could provide an excellent hiding place for valuables. Simply use an airtight sandwich bag to keep your belongings clean and dry, and bury it within your plant pot for a quick and easy hiding place.
2: Stairs – This one requires some DIY. By hollowing out a step and creating a hinged lid you can quickly craft a storage box completely invisible to the naked eye. Whether you then carpet your stairs depends on how often you will want access to your belongings, but if they’re valuable heirlooms this could be a perfect hiding place – just don’t forget about them if you move out!
3: Fake Cans –In the last few years several companies have introduced can safes, which are nothing more than a clean, empty can with a locking mechanism. A lot of these cans are branded, for example you can purchase a fake can of Heinz beans, Coca-Cola, even bug spray. To most, these cans would not warrant a second look amongst the right surroundings (don’t keep it on your bedside table!), and could provide and excellent hiding place.
4: A Wall Clock – For most burglars, time is crucial. It is for that reason that stashing your valuables into a hollow wall clock could be the perfect hiding place. Many thieves will be relying on the clock and will not think to move it.
5: The Kids Room – If you have young children it is highly unlikely that a thief will expect them to have many items of worth in their bedrooms. This is the precise reason why you should find a secret hiding place in your child’s room, perhaps concealed in some furniture or even within a toy. Tip: make sure it is not anywhere that the child might find and destroy!
Bonus – Several burglars have admitted that if they do not find anything in the usual places (master bedroom wardrobes, drawers etc) they will continue to search through the house until they find something of worth. Therefore, planting a decoy stash of notes and important looking documents in an obvious place could save your home from a deep search.
With all this in mind it remains crucial to secure your home with British Standard Approved locks and alarm mechanisms. Don’t forget you can call LockRite 24/7 on 0800 0612 677 for a free quote.
