11 Mar Surprising Things that Burglars Want to Steal from You

Surprising Things that Burglars Want to Steal from You

When most people think of burglaries, they imagine a sketchy, masked intruder who breaks into a home to steal electronics and jewelry. Yet you may be surprised to learn that there are quite a few other things that rank high on a burglar’s “things to steal” wish list.

If you’re going to protect your home (and your belongings), knowledge is power. Understanding the types of things that burglars look for (and steal), can help you thwart them.

Accessible cash: If you store cash in your home, make sure it’s locked away and secure. Cash ranks high on burglars’ wish list, because it’s portable, untraceable, and they can use it immediately.

If you keep your cash in a small, in-home safe, make sure the safe is bolted to your wall or floor. One woman we spoke with told us that she used to keep .5 cubic feet (13.5 x 8.75 x 9.5 inches) in her closet. Her mistake, she said, was that she didn’t drill it into the wall. When her home was broken into, the thieves picked it up and hauled it off.

Expensive clothing, purses and shoes

Do you have fur coats, designer dresses, shoes or handbags? These are also hot-ticket items because they can be pawned or sold online. They’re also very hard to trace.

Liquor

Although liquor isn’t always the most sought-after target, if you have one or more bottles lying around, thieves will often steal it. Bottles of Vodka, Whiskey or even Pinot Noir are easy to grab (and use) for a post-crime celebration.

Prescription painkillers

Prescription medications (especially opioids) tend to have an enormous street value. Not surprisingly, it’s not unusual for thieves to clean out a home’s medicine cabinet. In most cases, they won’t take time to read the labels. They simply grab everything that looks like it could be sold and figure out the rest later.

Guns

If you have a gun in your home and it’s not locked away, there’s a good chance that burglars will steal it. Not only do they tend to sell for a decent price, it’s an item that can be easily transported out of a house, apartment or condo.

Personal identification

Identity theft is a thriving market. If your social security card, birth certificate, passport or other important documents are lying around, these are likely to be stolen, too.

In closing

When it comes to home protection, an ounce of prevention is often worth a pound of cure. Installing a home security system, or hiring a local home watch company to keep an eye on your home in your absence, can help keep your belongings safe.