When burglars break into your home, typically, they will not spend too much time in your home. They will likely take off with handy, lightweight and profitable items. Research indicates that there are certain household items that thieves are attracted to during their quick raids. This article will list the everyday items burglars steal during home burglaries.
When protecting your valuables from burglars, you will need to stay one step ahead of burglars by understanding what they will likely target. Understanding the everyday items that burglars will look for will assist you in choosing the right level of coverage on your home insurance. Better yet, we will also provide some advice on improving your home security and protecting your belongings.
1. Cash and expensive jewellery
In home burglaries, the most stolen items money will always be at the top of the list. When burglars break into a house, they typically ransack the place looking for bills in areas such as the wallet or purse. Cash is the easiest and most-risk free item for burglars to steal as it is challenging to trace stolen cash back to its crime scene. Tracing cash to the original owner is nearly impossible compared to other items, as no one documents the serial numbers on the money they have before they stash it.
The next most stolen item is expensive jewellery. Jewellery is easier to trace; however, burglars sell them faster than police can notify shops nearby about the stolen jewellery. Expensive jewellery will often increase in price, making it a more attractive target for burglars. If you own it, it is recommended that you buy additional coverage to your homeowner’s insurance policy. Depending on the jewellery’s cost, you might require an entire policy for each item. However, the first step would be to appraise each piece before insuring it.
2. Electronics and technology
High-end electronic items and the latest technology or gadgets will always attract burglars. They are attractive to burglars as they are easy to sell, and many pawn shops will agree to buy them without asking questions. Whether it is a video game console, smartphone, tablet, laptop, PC, headphones, television or smart-home device controls, burglars will grab any electronic items they can get their hands on. Unfortunately, recovering these items once stolen can also be difficult unless you have a record with their serial number. Therefore, it is recommended that you keep a record of all appliances and electronics in your home. If they were ever stolen, you would be able to reference the serial number to determine whether the particular item is yours if it turned up in a pawn shop.
3. Firearms
Burglars love to steal firearms as they either want them for their protection, sell them for quick cash, or use them to commit further crimes. When burglars steal your guns, it also makes it challenging for law enforcement, as when crimes are committed with a stolen gun, the crimes are traced to the owner and not the criminal who perpetrated the act. Therefore, you should consider storing firearms somewhere safe, like a lockbox or safe.
4. Cars and bikes
Parking your cars or bicycles outside can attract the attention of burglars. Many people believe that burglars will only target newer cars; however, thieves will also target older cars, especially if those cars have versatile and valuable parts. Most of the stolen car parts are taken from vehicles parked on the street. If you can, you should keep cars and bicycles in a garage and out of sight, instead of the road, especially in the evening.
5. Prescription medication
You might be surprised to learn that criminals also love any form of prescription medication or over-the-counter medications. Though they do not sound as appealing as high-dollar electronics or cash, burglars typically steal prescription medication to resell them on the street to make quick cash. In some instances, they will keep the medication for personal use.
To ensure your medication is protected from theft, you should refrain from storing them in obvious locations such as kitchen or bathroom mirror cabinets. Instead, you should hide them in discreet areas of your home, such as shaving cream cans or soda bottles.
6. Power tools
Burglars might not be DIYers, but they want to sell your power tools. These tools include gardening tools such as leaf blowers, lawn mowers, weed whackers or power tools such as saws and drills, and all these tools can end up in a pawnshop. You should try not to leave your garage door open for too long as it might give potential thieves a sneak peek into all the items you have stored there.
Conclusion
Now that you understand the top six most common stolen items, the next step will be for you to protect them. The most effective way is to safeguard your valuables by installing a security system, keeping your valuables out of sight and in a home safe and locking your doors and windows. Though you might take the necessary measures to protect your valuables, you should also be cautious by ensuring you have the proper homeowner’s policy with adequate coverage to protect your assets. This ensures that you can recoup your losses with compensation from the insurance provider.
