Security and paranoia

[normanintheskywithsapphires]

I keep my gems and jewelry at home, in a small but good safe, screwed into the wall. I have an alarm system that I activate when nobody is at home. That's all. Enough?
I live in a sort-of 'affluent' part of mid-size danish town that does attract thieves. A friend of mine in a similar place had his house emptied of valuables a few month ago.
What do you do to protect your treasures? Bank is safest - but then you can't play with them.
Home robbery has become quite 'popular', even with people getting looked in their cellars and such traumatic stuff.
What do you do, and where? Is the US safer?

 

[chatoyancy]

I keep my gems and jewelry at home, in a small but good safe, screwed into the wall. I have an alarm system that I activate when nobody is at home. That's all. Enough?
I live in a sort-of 'affluent' part of mid-size danish town that does attract thieves. A friend of mine in a similar place had his house emptied of valuables a few month ago.
What do you do to protect your treasures? Bank is safest - but then you can't play with them.
Home robbery has become quite 'popular', even with people getting looked in their cellars and such traumatic stuff.
What do you do, and where? Is the US safer?

It really depends on where you live in the U.S. My mom has her safe bolted to the floor and has a security system. She lives in a different city though. Almost everyone has been burglarized in her neighborhood.

 

[doberman]

I had a tennis bracelet stolen by the people who put in our alarm system, go figure. We weren't the only ones robbed, and the guy was caught. Ever since then, all my good jewelry lives in the safe attached to the floor and wall. I've learned not to get attached to material things, they can go at any time.

 

[blingbunny10]

Well, I guess I am paranoid enough that I don't really want to answer your question with specifics! Haha. Though I am certainly curious how others store their jewelry and gemstones specifically.

In the past, I've had some valuables in a safe, behind a locked door, and the house protected by dogs and security system. My current neighborhood is "safe," but yes, break ins happen everywhere. Plus, it's good to always be aware of maintence people or other contractors in the house.

But I never feel like valuables are ever truly safe. Insurance is the best thing. I know that certain things are irreplaceable of course, but for me those are sentimental items that I tend to have on my person.

 

[Arcadian]

Break ins can happen anywhere, so you need layers of protection. Some good ones were already mentioned of course. And insurance is always fantastic.

Safes are always best when bolted to the floor joists as well as to wall. that of course means get a damn good safe and make sure you can't just "carry" it out. My current safe took 6 burly guys to get in place and its bolted into concrete.

When I lived in Mass, took about 4, but took them 2 hours to get it in the house! That safe got sold with the house, To get it out I would have had to rip open 2 walls.

If you had your alarms installed by someone else, change the code.

Good doors and window on your home is priceless and ups resell value. For door locks, look at grade II or better locks and deadbolts. Get deadbolts that are not easily picked (grade or class 1 is best) or easily jimmied or removed. If replacing locks also replace strike plates to higher security ones with long screws.

Hinges can be a very weak point so change the screws of the hinges to hardened and longer screws. The longer the better. Don't make it easy for the door to just be kicked in.

Cut proof window screens. They allow air in but keep people out. However if you ever have to get OUT of those things, you're gonna be out of luck.

Change the swing of your door if you can. My doors can't be kicked IN if that makes any sense. Its for hurricanes of course but also makes it hard for not so savories to get in my house too.

Impact glass windows and doors. They're great for hurricanes (my house has them) and hard to break into. The good stuff is NOT cheap.

I do not have a guard dog. I have a watch dog. She will watch you do everything. Sweet but not exactly a fighter. I didn't pick her for her guard dog capabilities thankfully! Because I work at home, I have no solicitation signs by the front door, I also have a "smile, you're on camera " sign out there because well..they are on camera.

I use other things for protection but not a good idea to advertise what it is.

 

[whitewave]

Guns.

We have a lot of guns.

 

[Mukti]

I rent a safe in my bank. I neither want to have security system installed nor do I want a safe in the house. Whoever installs it knows where it is in the house and will burglar it easily. Once someone tried to break in the house by drilling a hole in the window. I called the police and a few days later I got a phone call from someone who said he could fix windows. You see how information can be passed on rapidly like wild fires.

 

[chrono]

I use a bank safe

 

[Snow White]

Hi Norman,

I hope I did not put these horrible thoughts in your head ...

After all my Jewellry get stollen 3 months ago in my house, except wedding and engagement ring that I was wearing, I discussed a lot with the Police and the insurrance expert about jewelry protection.

They said even a safe is unsafe: if the guys discover your safe but can't open it, they will come back with better tools or even worse when you are at home.

They recommanded me :
- to take a safe at the bank : nonsens as I would not be able to see/wear my jewelries
- to hide the value pieces in " non-expected " places in the house.

I am still very upsed and sad about all this memories that disappeared. Pricescope is a good therapy: it allows to dream again

 

[Arcadian]

Guns.

We have a lot of guns.

I wasn't gonna say it because if you CCW you don't shout that from the rooftops, but yeah. LOL

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

I wasn't gonna say it because if you CCW you don't shout that from the rooftops, but yeah. LOL

Right? Even if you don't have a CCW guns are valuable and perhaps much easier to sell then jewelry.

 

[T L]

I use a bank safe

ditti

 

[whitewave]

Right? Even if you don't have a CCW guns are valuable and perhaps much easier to sell then jewelry.

Not if it prevents them from getting to said jewelry

Let me ask a question: how will they get to the guns? Where are the guns?

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

Not if it prevents them from getting to said jewelry

Let me ask a question: how will they get to the guns? Where are the guns?

I was not posting to you specifically, but in general it is a not a good idea to advertise you have guns or a CC permit. I am sure yours are locked up and safe.

 

[MissyBeaucoup]

A friend had a musical instrument stolen. We went around to local pawn shops hoping it had turned up there. Didn't find the instrument, but there were so many guns! We decided the instrument probably got stolen because it looked like a gun case. Fortunately jewels are tiny, if you can remember where you put them.

 

[pearlsngems]

If you hide something, create a document or send yourself an email detailing where you put it.

 

[Octo2005]

Great thread!

I agree that the bank route is not practical for short term storage or pieces that you wear often. If I had to drive to the bank to get a piece, it would likely not get worn.

I think that this is something that we all worry about and the timing is perfect. I was just considering changing my current safe for a "hidden" wall safe. I read somewhere that no safe is completely burger proof, but more of a means to make it more difficult and to slow them down.

It will keep a worker in my home from easy access and since most burgleries are crimes of opportunity wasting time trying to open my safe, if they can find it, doesn't make sense. The alarm is going to go off, we are 5 minutes from the police station, they would grab what is out in plain view and run. TV's, computer, I just don't see them having time to access the safe.

 

[PrecisionGem]

Storing your loose gems in gem papers, takes a lot less space than gem jars. I would think a safe that can be located easily with a few empty boxes in it, and then gems hidden in gem papers in some wierd place would work well. Most people robbing you home want to get in and out in a few minutes. Let them waste their time working on the safe which has nothing of any value in it, while your gems are safely in some laundry soap box in the linen closet.

 

[Seaglow]

Security measures and the feeling of security depends on where in the world are you.

Despite what's on the news, many places in the world still feels quite safe. Many women in middle eastern countries wear ounces and ounces of gold on their necks and 5-10 carat stones on their fingers. In many Asian cultures, gem-encrusted traditional jewelries look like Royal jewels and worn during special occasions. Have a look at the jewelries worn in Japan and HK. How much was that transluscent Jade bangle again that an old lady was wearing on the metro? There are places in the world where thousands of dollars of gems and 99% gold are just sold in booths. No guards, no alarms. No guns. Even sold in the common marketplace together with spices and vegetables. I've also been to countries where people don't lock their doors, and some their cars (yes, their cars). Just a different perspective. But ofcourse, better err in the side of caution.

Another different perspective. In many developing countries, affluent villages have guards on the subdivision gates and building entrances and cameras on their streets or building floors. A safe is not just for burglars sometimes, it is also used to keep household staff away from temptation.

But I've also been to villages where there are alarms and spiked fences and yet houses get robbed while the families are sleeping. And I've also seen a pawnshop where together with toasters and flat irons there was a nice 2 carat high-clarity diamond ring being sold for less than $2000.....

 

[digdeep]

I agree some of it has to do with how you live..........If jewels cause paranoia then you may never have enough 'layers' or reassurance about their safety to alleviate that paranoid feeling. Taking reasonable precautions is appropriate and works for most folks most of the time.

 

[Seaglow]

I agree some of it has to do with how you live..........If jewels cause paranoia then you may never have enough 'layers' or reassurance about their safety to alleviate that paranoid feeling. Taking reasonable precautions is appropriate and works for most folks most of the time.

As Coco Chanel said, "Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury.".

 

[elle_71125]

If you hide something, create a document or send yourself an email detailing where you put it.

What a great idea! I with I had done that when I put one of my rings in a "safe" place. Two years later and I still can't find that damn ring.

 

[MissyBeaucoup]

What a great idea! I with I had done that when I put one of my rings in a "safe" place. Two years later and I still can't find that damn ring.

I've got the same problem! I put it somewhere a burglar would be unlikely to look...

 

[Burmesedaze]

Lol would metal detectors work? Someone should invent an RFID tracking system for our pieces stashed around the house!

 

[indigoblue]

I keep my gems and jewelry at home, in a small but good safe, screwed into the wall. I have an alarm system that I activate when nobody is at home. That's all. Enough?

Good question which I've wanted to ask for a long time. I do not want to keep my jewelry in a safe deposit box because it's unavailable when I want to wear it. If it had been bought as an investment, maybe, but I want to be able to wear it on a moment's notice. Having a safe just announces to burglars that something valuable is inside. If he can't open it, he'll at least make a huge mess trying. And the person who installs it knows about it too.

My method is to hide it in an unsuspecting place such as the laundry room, like someone mentioned. There are a lot of places around the house that a burglar wouldn't have time to find. Your lingerie drawer is an obvious place where you should not hide anything. What are some other places where a burglar goes first when ransacking a home? Does he look in kitchen drawers and cabinets? Filing cabinets? Decorative vases? Artificial plants? If there's a library with walls full of books, does he pull every one off the shelf to look behind it?

Of course I've told my family where I hide my jewelry in case something happens to me and they need to clean out my house. They'd find it anyway as they disposed of my belongings because it's not hidden completely. And I have a couple of jewelry boxes in plain view that contain my costume jewelry and a few sterling pieces. Maybe the burglar will think that's all I have and won't search further.

We also have a security system with cameras at the doors. At least I'll have a good picture of the burglar. ha!

 

[theredspinel]

A good burgler would come and read this thread.

 

[Burmesedaze]

A good burgler would come and read this thread.

 

[normanintheskywithsapphires]

I think they did already. Real pro's get into standard safes,

I have researched: The majority of thefts is unprofessional and opportunity driven: Service people, neighbors kids, that is so say: 'normal' people with a bad moment. The safe protects from these.

The pros nobody can stop except the bank safe, but I really would think I miss the point of 'collecting for joy' if I had to go to the bank to see my beauties for ten mins in an underground bunker with nasty light. Forgive my curiosity, TL and Chrono, is that really what you do?

 

[chrono]

I go to the bank once a week to rotate out my pieces.

 

[PrecisionGem]

I would think for most people, their gemstones are NOT the most expensive things in the house for a thief to go after. I'd think their automobiles, dog, 4K TV, Mac Book Pro, boats, cameras, stereos, firearms etc could be more valuable and easier to for a thief to sell. I wouldn't think of keeping my Mac Book Pro in a bank safe deposit box. It seems that a dozen stones in gem papers could be stashed in so many difficult to find locations in the house, unlike trying to hide your auto.