You’ve finally made it, you’ve got that great house, great car, great job, great family and great investments. Along the way, from birthdays to anniversaries, you’ve accumulated quite a few terms of endearments. Because it’s so valuable, you purchase a safe to keep it in, thinking that because it’s a safe and it has a lock, you’re safe.
According to FBI statistics, every 14 seconds, a home is burglarized. Over 2 million homes were burglarized in 2006. Did you know that most safes are only designed to be fire proof and not burglar proof, making it vulnerable to break ins in less than a matter of minutes? There are four different types of safes, the key lock, combination, the electronic keypad, and hidden safes, but only one is truly designed to lower your chances of being burglarized.
The key lock entry: This is a favorite amongst the lock pickers. With a few tools and a little knowledge, the assailant can pick the lock within a matter of minutes. Lost keys also result in easy access.
Combination or dial entry: This is the easiest, rather, most favorite of all sophisticated safe crackers. This type of safe is subject to dial manipulation, drilling, and explosive devices as seen in the Hollywood movies.
Electronic keypad entry: This is one of the safest amongst all safes (vaults being the safest) because it requires the skills of a computer hacker to override the system. The biggest threat in this area is that most people use common digits, such as birthdays, addresses, pet’s names, kids names, and so on. With a little knowledge about your personal life, it makes it easier for the culprit to penetrate your safe. To make this method, most effective, be sure to avoid the use of all common digits and wipe fingerprints from coded buttons, or try touching several different digits to make the security code less noticeable, in the case of electronic vision.
Hidden Safes: Hidden safes are another one of the safest ways to safeguard your valuables because the safe is disguised. They offer the ease of hiding valuables in fake props poised as decoys. These hidden safes contain secret compartments where you can deposit valuables into gadgets that appear to be plain old common products such as wall clocks, wall shelves, and even electrical outlets. For this one to be most effective, do not forget where your valuables are hidden and accidently throw them out.
Although the safest way to protect your valuables is with a safety deposit box at a secured location, a home safe can be just as effective if you do your homework first. To be sure your safe is burglar proof, be sure to check the safety tests and bearings of your safe by consulting the U.S. Underwriter’s Laboratories (UL), which conducts tests and ratings on commercial safes.
