What If Your Home Were Burglarized? Important Home Security Tips for Protecting and Indentifying Your Most Personal Possessions

by Inspry Media LLC February 18, 2021

As anyone who's had their home burglarized will tell you, it's not the flat screen TV or stereo equipment that got stolen that bothers them. It's their more personal possessions, such as their laptop computer with all of their family photos, emails, bank statements, and other financial information on it that keeps them awake at night. The thought of a complete stranger and criminal having access to some of the most intimate details of your life is more than unsettling - it's scary.

A crucial part of home security is thinking ahead, not only in terms of what you need to do to reduce the risk of your home being burglarized, but what you need to do to protect your most personal possessions should some thug ever manage to gain entrance. To identify the items that are most important to you - items that, if stolen, would keep you tossing and turning at night - you need to ask yourself that difficult question, "What if my home were burglarized?"

Common Personal Possessions that Get Stolen During a Home Burglary

As a home security expert, I've had numerous conversations with homeowners who've had their homes broken into. The following are the personal possessions that homeowners feel the most troubled over after being stolen from their homes:

Home computers, laptops, and/or tablets (iPad, Nook, Kindle). If you're like most people, your home computer is more than an expensive piece of equipment. It's an extension of you. Whether you use it for work or play (or both), it's likely to contain some of your most personal data - data that you would never want to end up in the hands of a criminal.
Paper files with monthly bank statements and other documents with personal identifying information. Most people don't give their monthly bank statements, bills, or tax documents a second thought after they're filed away. But criminals do, and there's a lot they can do with documents that contain your social security number, bank account numbers, and credit card numbers in them.
Cameras with photos and video recordings of family and friends stored on them. Whether it's a video of your son's little league baseball game or photos of your family vacation to Hawaii, the last person you want viewing images of you and the people who are most important to you is a criminal.
Cell phones, briefcases, wallets, and purses. While you might carry these items with you when you're away from home, where do you put them when you go to bed at night? It is not uncommon for a homeowner to wake up in the morning to find their home was burglarized and their wallet, purse, and/or cell phone stolen.

If you've never given any thought to the importance of securing your computer, cell phone, purse, or financial documents at home, you're not alone. Most people don't think about these things until it happens to them or to a close family member or friend. But as any homeowner who's ever had their home burglarized will tell you, there's nothing that leaves a person feeling more vulnerable or violated than having your home broken into and your most personal possessions stolen.

Home Security Tips for Protecting and Identifying Your Most Personal Possessions

To reduce your risk of becoming a home burglary victim, it is important to think ahead and take the necessary steps to secure your home and your belongings. The following are few security tips on how to protect your home and your most personal possessions.

If you have a home security alarm, make sure to turn it on not only when you leave, but also when you're home - especially at night.
Ensure the doors and windows of your home are properly secured. Locked doors and windows are NOT enough to keep a burglar out of your home. To maximize the security in these areas, install a security door brace and glass protection film on your home's most vulnerable doors and windows.
Photograph your valuables and write down the serial numbers from those items that have them. Also, keep receipts for any expensive items you purchase. This information will come in handy should you ever need to report them stolen or file an insurance claim.
Engrave your driver's license number or another identifying mark on the back of your TV, stereo equipment, computers, and other valuables. This will help law enforcement identify them as your own should they ever be stolen and recovered.
Invest in a home safe that can be secured to the floor or a wall, and store your most important personal documents and valuables in it. To get into the routine of using it, store your wallet, purse, and cell phone in it each night before going to bed. Also, be sure to keep your safe code private. Changing the code from time to time is also a smart move.
Make a photocopy of your driver's license, credit cards, vehicle registration, and other personal information that you keep in your wallet, purse, or vehicle. Store the copies in a safe deposit box or a home safe. This will ensure you have the information you need should you ever have to report any of these items stolen.
To protect the data on your computer, use a strong password that contains letters, numbers, and special characters. There are also a number of software programs and apps on the market that allow you to store your most personal data in hidden and heavily encrypted files. Some programs also come with an anti-hacker feature that will wipe your hard drive clean after a certain number of failed password attempts.

Thinking ahead to identify and secure your most personal possessions is an important step in ensuring the safety and security of you and your family. While it's never a pleasant thought, should your home ever be burglarized, you'll be thankful you took these steps.

Jordan Frankel, commonly known as The Security Sensei develops revolutionary security products and solutions that protect both lives & property. Countless agencies and corporations such as NASDAQ, the US Military, and law enforcement entrust Mr. Frankel with their security and safety. Jordan Frankel is also frequent media guest addressing the personal and financial consequences associated with home invasions, burglaries and other serious threats. In addition, Mr. Frankel's security products & inventions have been featured on Oprah, FOX news and in countless publications. Jordan's ability to outsmart the proverbial bad guys - coupled with his commitment to making security an affordable reality for everyone is the key to Global Security Experts Inc success. Mr. Frankel (The Security Sensei) is available for media interviews by appointment only.

Mr. Frankel is a proud member of:

The American Society for Industrial Security.

The International Association for Counter Terrorism & Security.

The Society of Professional Locksmiths.