After you have taken all possible precautions to keep burglars from breaking into your home, you may want to consider taking some other precautions to keep them from locating valuables, if they do break in. This can be done by hiding valuables or placing them in safes so that, even if they are located, they cannot be removed. Nowadays there are some very simple hiding devices available that are inexpensive and clever. There are some mail order catalogues, for example, from which you can order a small container that looks like a head of lettuce, put your valuables in it, and place it in the refrigerator. Unless the burglar decides to make a salad or is aware of such new gimmicks, you're safe. Similar containers are available as soft drink cans and hollow books. You can buy hollow electrical outlet boxes as well. An imaginative tour of your home may reveal many other effective hiding places. Remember, burglars often don't have much time to search, so they usually grab what they see or can quickly find.
If you feel it's worth the effort, you can strengthen a closet to serve as a small vault. This can be done simply by installing a metal or solid wood door and a couple of deadbolts. It is a good idea to line the interior with plywood, since drywall can be easily busted through. If you have an older home with wide (6" - 12") baseboards, you can remove a section, hollow out the areas between the studs, put small valuables in, and tack the baseboard in place.
Many models and sizes of residential safes are available. Though somewhat more expensive than these other devices, they can be effective if properly installed. Smaller ones concreted into place are an excellent deterrent. But remember, a safe will only serve to alert a burglar to what's inside, so be sure it is well secured.
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