Homeowners hide valuables

Hiscox says homeowners are burying valuables in the garden, sewing jewellery into curtains and using decoy doors, to try and outwit burglars.

Recent examples of unusual security techniques identified by Hiscox include leaving ‘fake' jewellery lying around the home to trick thieves, hanging out washing so the house appears occupied, hiding valuables in shoes and clothing, and making the front door look scruffy in a bid to disguise the value of the content inside.

But Hiscox warns homeowners have then mistakenly thrown away valuable hidden in everyday objects. It recommends traditional security systems to protect homes.

Inventive

Andrew Cheney, senior risk and valuation advisor, said: "Homeowners can be quite creative in their attempts at securing their valuables. However, many of their inventive hiding places are quite obvious to most thieves, and there's also the danger of forgetting them.

“What happens when you take the clothes or shoes you've hidden away your jewellery in to the dry cleaners or have a wardrobe clear out?

"It's far better to prevent thieves from being able to access your home in the first instance. Think of your property with rings of security - from the outer perimeter of your garden and driveway to the inside of your home.

“There are ways of securing your boundaries and driveway, followed by the main property and outbuildings. Then you can think about added protection for your valuables inside the home. This technique has the effect of wearing an intruder down."