I hope not!

One of my pet peeves is crooks stealing jewellery. Usually items of sentimental value. Grandma's engagement ring or locket. Go ahead, steal all the DVD players and Playstations you want, but don't take the sentimental stuff. It can't be replaced.

So, where do we normally put these items? Dressing table? Bedside table? Breakfast bar in the kitchen? Yep, I'm just as guilty. But the crooks, even the dumbest of them, generally don't have too look too far to find our stash of precious and sentimental items.

Where are good places to hide them?

Well, for your not-often-worn items, try a box of laundry powder. Empty the contents, place the items in a resealable bag, pop it in the bottom & put the powder over the top - complete with scoop. Put it in the laundry cupboard. Likewise with a box of cereal.

Don't put them in an empty sugar canister in the kitchen, or in the fridge or freezer. Crooks always look there - usually for money.

For more regularly worn items, pop them in an empty toothpaste box & pop it in the bathroom cupboard. You're in there every day & it's not too hard to get into the habit of taking jewellery off & on in the bathroom.

There are many other places you can hide stuff - you just have to be a bit clever.

As for regular security stuff:
- DO record model & serial numbers - especially for items in the shed
- DO have items engraved or use a black light pen
- If you are a victim of a burglary, DO check out the second hand dealers & ASK about specific items. Crooks pawn rather than sell items because it keeps them out of sight out the back for a month. Also check stores far & wide. Crooks travel far theses days.
- If you have lost jewellery, particularly estate type jewellery, DO check out the estate jewellers. There are a number in Adelaide who are less than scrupulous. Unfortunately the worst of them melt the stuff down. Contact me if you want to know where to start looking......
- If you lose a Plasma TV, forget it - you'll never see it again. Not every crook has one as yet....

In short, let's not make it easy for them eh?

Labels: crooks