Retired Burglars And Concerned Citizens Share 30 Tips On How Not To Get Robbed At Home
Even burglars can help too!
Burglars do not usually get the movie treatment, but they do leave behind a lot of useful clues. In this Reddit thread, one user asked former burglars and other commenters where people should never hide valuables at home, and the answers came fast.
The responses range from obvious hiding spots to surprisingly clever decoys, with a few stories about break-ins, bad luck, and homes that were easier to target than their owners realized. It all started because the poster grew up in an unsafe neighborhood and never forgot a childhood burglary.
Now the thread is packed with tips, warnings, and a few hard-earned lessons.
AsleepFondant's Question to Former Burglars
AsleepFondantA Technique That Stalls the Thief: Glue a Spare Key Below the Doormat. It Should Not Open Anything Important in Your Home.
This was done by a homeowner in addition to installing security cameras. The crook checked the doormat after looking around to see if there would be witnesses.
Since the burglar could not grab the key, they thought they had fallen into a prank. Then they left.
aj9811, Kelly SikkemaA Wife's Husband Was So Good at Hiding Valuables.
Unfortunately, he forgot some of them. So one tip from the wife is to always remember where this important stuff was hidden.
fizzy_sister, Nathan Fertig
Apparently, a Messy Room Is Great for Hiding Things.
One Reddit user shared that their golden earrings and €800 were hidden in a messy room. They did not even bother searching after opening the messy room.
PuzzleBuzzleRuzzle, Samuel Regan-Asante
A Former Crime Reporter Mentions That Cat Litter and Tampon Boxes Are Great for Hiding Stuff.
He notes that burglars won't be helpful. Instead, they suggested asking drug dealers, who are the best at hiding illegal items.
DJGlennW, Litter Robot
An ADT Salesman Shared That He Does Door-to-Door Selling.
People would naturally let them in, and the residents would tell them where the valuables were. "Don't do that," they said.
Mybigbrowntitties, Pixabay
Sadly, Someone Got Robbed by a 'Friend.'
The safe was placed on the laundry room floor. The crook wasn't successful as the item was covered in towels and dirty clothes.
ImAlwaysRightHanded, Annie Spratt
Always Lock the Shed.
AlphaTangoFoxtrt, Tanner Vote
The Valuables of This User's Aunt Were Hidden Throughout the House.
They left no stone unturned. In other words, they had to search every pocket, planter, pan, pot, and other possible spots.
TheSecretofBog, Alexander Mils
Bolt Down Your Safe Always. Its Weight Is Enough for Two People to Carry.
RallyX26, William Murphy
A Former Teenage Robber's Tip Is to Always Lock the Windows.
He was a troubled teen at the time. It was easy to break into homes whose residents did not bother locking the windows.
RobbStarkNaked
A Safe, Within a Safe, Within a Safe, Does Work!
The user's grandfather did this. The bad guy gave up on the smallest safe.
lordpanda, iStock
Place Insignificant Items Inside a Jewelry Box.
Burglars would easily grab these containers, then ignore the places where the true treasures are.
downwarddawg, Clem Onojeghuo
This is similar to a person considering asking a sibling suspected of stealing to move out.
An Electrician's Customer Hid His $3,500 Inside an Octagon Box.
He was rewarded with $300. It pays to be honest.
TheOtherBull, Pixabay
Fake Outlets Are Great for Storing Valuables.
ban_me_daddyy, La Miko
Never Leave Valuables That Can Be Seen from Outside Your Car or Home.
The boxes of your newly bought gadgets should be destroyed before disposing of them. Never leave them by your trash bin.
Auferstehen78, Lisa
A Former Burglar Shares What He Would Do.
He'll dump your drawers, search underneath your bed, look for the goods in your freezer, and check your bathroom cabinet. They love taking inspiration from spy movies too!
henrideveroux, Jacalyn Beales
Plan for the Future.
Place a small safe in the living room. Inside it is a middle finger made of big foam.
Reddit, Immo Wegmann
A User Shares an Unfortunate Event.
The user's dad learned his lesson when they got robbed. This made him hide the laptop in a very strategic place: inside an oven.
The family only noticed the deed when something strange could be smelled from the oven while they were cooking dinner. Two months later, it was the microwave oven he used as storage.
The user's mom set the microwave to one minute, without noticing that the laptop was inside. So, the next time you hide something, avoid such places or perhaps tell your family about it.
crabmeat11, Life Of Pix
The User's Dad and Uncles Used Threats.
The older ones (18 and 17 at the time) found the robber, and together, they intimidated him. The crook then asked if he could just take the ladder.
They had no clue about the reason behind it. The user's dad still has that ladder even now.
KlippetyKop, Pexels
Social Media Pictures of Trips When You're Not at Home Is Definitely a No-No.
north78, Skitterphoto
Locking Drawers Attract Burglars More. All They Need Is a Crowbar.
GlutenFreeApples, khloe arledge
Smart LED Lights Are the Way to Go When No One's Home.
C0SAS, Wolf Zimmermann
Don't Share the Expensive Items You Purchased on Social Media.
GoatPantsKillro, Tofros.com
Key Racks Next to the Door Are Definitely a No-No.
OThinkingDungeons, Nathan Dumlao
An Empty Fire Extinguisher Is Great for Hiding Valuables.
shocksalot123, Nothing Ahead
Even Textbooks Can Be Stolen. The User Lost About $700 Worth of Books Because They Were Left in the Car.
zepaperclip, Sharon McCutcheon
Home Security Alarm Signs Scare Thieves Away.
Dingo9933, SmartSign
Fire Safes May Be Excellent Against Fires, but Definitely Not Against Burglars.
Asylumsix, monkeywing
Never Leave Your Car Unlocked.
It's surprising, but the Reddit user has shared that many people don't lock up. Unfortunately, some of them even leave the keys inside the car.
50nd, Ricardo Esquivel
marty_arty, Andre William
Did Those Posts Change Your Mind About Storing Valuables?
It's always important to know how a robber's mind works. Remember that they will steal only from homes that have items ready to be taken.
You can practice certain measures, especially ones that thieves won't expect. The technique here is to stall them by placing your valuables in unlikely places.
You can even trick them into thinking that your home is heavily armed with security equipment. When you can read a burglar's mind, you can keep yourself from becoming a victim.
That thread had plenty of people rethinking their hiding spots.
For more “don’t touch my stuff” drama, read about the employee locking the office snack cabinet after colleagues accused them of being selfish.
