Most Commonly Stolen Items & How to Safeguard Them

A house in America is burgled every 18 seconds. When calculated, that adds up to 4800 break-ins a day. This shocking stat alone proves that burglary is a crime you need to be wary about.

Another little-known statistic is that burglars are in and out of a house in fifteen minutes. This means they know exactly what they are looking for before they break in.

But do you?

When you know exactly what is on a thief’s wish list, you can take measures to foil him and protect your belongings. Keep reading for a list of the top things a burglar looks for.

Cash

This shouldn't be a surprise. Cash is untraceable, easy to fit in the pocket, and most importantly, does not need to be sold.

So how do you safeguard your bills?

A safe is the go-to option for most households. However, be wary of getting a small and light safe. There have been instances where the robber took the entire safe with him! A bank is your safest option for large sums, but for cash and jewellery lying around your house, a heavy safe, or a wall or floor safe can provide the needed security.

Prescription drugs

Prescription drugs haven't traditionally been on a thief’s list, but that isn't the case today. Even if a thief does not use drugs, he can sell them on the black market for a neat profit. 

Prescription drugs are usually stored in the household’s medicine cupboard which makes it easy to access for you, but unfortunately, for the burglar too. Adding a simple lock to the cupboard and making sure to dispose of unused and expired medicine can go a long way in thwarting burglars. Moreover, this can also keep dangerous drugs from nosy children and prying guests. Prescription pills aren't always stolen by robbers; they are also often stolen by family members and guests.

Electronics

Though devices like televisions and gaming consoles are harder to take away and sell, they remain of interest to a thief. What makes TVs and the like really vulnerable is that they are out there and easily accessible to a burglar. No rummaging through your drawers or attempting to break your safe, your shiny 55 inch TV is sitting right there!

Insuring your expensive electronics is a great way to protect yourself while passwords on your smartphones and laptops can protect your personal information from getting into the hands of a robber.

Furthermore, make a record of the serial code, model type and manufacturer. In the event that you are robbed, having detailed information can make it easier to prove the stolen items are yours. Without this information, less than 5% of all electronics are ever found again.

Firearms

Stolen firearms go for big bucks on the street - because they can be used for other crimes - and you can be sure a robber will keep an eye out for firearms lying around. The problem with firearms is that you need to keep them secure, but you also need to keep them somewhere easy-to-access in case of an emergency.

Consider getting a gun safe or a locked gun cabinet. As with prescription pills, this will keep guns out of your kid’s hands and anyone else in the house, preventing freak accidents. A gun safe is not completely fool proof, but the harder it is to get to it, the higher the chances it might throw a burglar off.