Recent Burglary Concerns?

Frank99

A new couple were recently burgled and the thieves grabbed the bank cards, Memory Sticks and all of their ID documents such as Passports, Insurance details and Birth Certificates. The strange thing is they left cash and jewllery in the house untouched. The Police came out about 2 days later and concluded that this is was an ID Fraud Burglary rather than the usual variety?
Anyone heard of this before and where can i keep my passport etc?

neilmcl

Doesn't surprise me in the slightest. They can steal far more via ID fraud than they can get from the little bit's of cash or jewellery people leave lying around in their homes. Do you have a burglar alarm?

Frank99

neilmcl said:

Doesn't surprise me in the slightest. They can steal far more via ID fraud than they can get from the little bit's of cash or jewellery people leave lying around in their homes. Do you have a burglar alarm?

I do have an alarm yes however i don't rate them much in my area because people barely take notice, most of the Indian families around my area have grilles and security gates on their homes apparently because of their Indian Gold underground safes (at least that is what the guy in the security shop said). 

Ganga

You can always place all your important documents in a safe deposit box or invest in a home safe.

theonlywayisup

Think like a burglar.  
Keys for a car are left on the hook on near the back/front door.  Passports will be in a drawer/cupboard that looks organised.  If you want to stash items you don't need a safe, just put them somewhere that isn't easy or obvious. Not totally foolproof but the burglar isn't planning on searching everywhere he's on a time limit.

Between sheets/towels in an airing cupboard, under furniture that is difficult to move, under a rug (yes really).  The point is, you need to NOT be obvious.  Walk into your house and think - I am short of time and wanting to take xyz quickly.  Where do they keep it - then walk around your house and look at all the places you would never assume to be storage for such items. 

To be fair I would expect ID theft to be easier to gain from by online means than a burglary.

Slinky

If you don't want to use a safe and don't require regular access to the items, wrap them in plastic and stick them in a scruffy box at the back of your loft.

neilmcl

Frank99 said:

neilmcl said:

Doesn't surprise me in the slightest. They can steal far more via ID fraud than they can get from the little bit's of cash or jewellery people leave lying around in their homes. Do you have a burglar alarm?

I do have an alarm yes however i don't rate them much in my area because people barely take notice, most of the Indian families around my area have grilles and security gates on their homes apparently because of their Indian Gold underground safes (at least that is what the guy in the security shop said). 

And more importantly do you actually use it, particularly overnight when you're in bed. Most alarms being heard tend to be false alarms and faced with a house that has a working alarm and one that doesn't I know which one a burglar would go to. As others have said it may be worth investing in a small safe.