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This thought has come to mind as there have been break-ins and auto theft in our neighborhood recently. In thinking about travel our family may have over the next 6 months, I'm very concerned about burglary while away. The concern about documents/paperwork being stolen is identity theft. When they have your identity they can purchase almost anything they want. Having tangibles stolen is one thing, but cleaning up the mess of identity theft is a huge undertaking. So any documents around the house with credit card info, ss#, bank numbers etc. can make you vulnerable. How can you rid yourself of all paperwork? I don't like the idea of all our info/docs on the cloud or a thumbdrive. Maybe as backups but I still like to keep the most recent paper bank statement around as well as tax records. It seems impossible to not have some paperwork around the house from which burglars can capture your identity so I'm interested in hearing how others are protecting their documents/valuables.
Generally speaking, home burglars are looking for cash and stuff they can pawn. Identity stealers are an entirely different breed of crook, and they aren’t going to mess around breaking into your house looking for what they want.
If someone wants to get in and out quickly and take your electronics, jewelry, and other valuables... are they really going to waste their time going through your paperwork?
That's what I wonder.
If the thief was actually there to get your financial paperwork, I suspect a crowbar, a sledgehammer, or a saw with a grinding blade would could easily overcome any sort of lock or bar.
Now if the goal is to keep those who normally have access to your house from taking a peek at your financial paperwork, a locked file cabinet would likely work.
Generally speaking, home burglars are looking for cash and stuff they can pawn. Identity stealers are an entirely different breed of crook, and they aren’t going to mess around breaking into your house looking for what they want.
I've read a number of articles about identity theft. Not one involved breaking into a home and stealing paperwork. It was all online.
You can but heavy fire safe locking file cabinets at all sorts of estate sales and garage sales. They were once really popular, but no one wants them anymore because everyone scans their important paperwork and saves it electronically. THe fire safe file cabinets are insanely heave and you will usually find them at the curb after the state sale or garage sale ends. No one wants them and no one wants to move them.
This thought has come to mind as there have been break-ins and auto theft in our neighborhood recently. In thinking about travel our family may have over the next 6 months, I'm very concerned about burglary while away. The concern about documents/paperwork being stolen is identity theft. When they have your identity they can purchase almost anything they want. Having tangibles stolen is one thing, but cleaning up the mess of identity theft is a huge undertaking. So any documents around the house with credit card info, ss#, bank numbers etc. can make you vulnerable. How can you rid yourself of all paperwork? I don't like the idea of all our info/docs on the cloud or a thumbdrive. Maybe as backups but I still like to keep the most recent paper bank statement around as well as tax records. It seems impossible to not have some paperwork around the house from which burglars can capture your identity so I'm interested in hearing how others are protecting their documents/valuables.
As said earlier, lock ALL three of your credit reports.
Thanks in advance.
I have a four-drawer file cabinet full of things I'd rather not have stolen -- financial papers, for example.
The drawers don't lock. So I'm considering getting a 4-drawer file cabinet locking bar.
Anyone have one?
Would you trust it to be a tough enough deterrent for the usual break-in....which I think is more like people breaking in to get TVs, jewelry and such. Someone who wants to get in and out quickly.
Before you ask...I have a safe, but ...1) it's in another part of the house.....2) I'm in and out of this cabinet a lot and want easy access or me, just not someone else.
So that's why I'm thinking of getting the locking cabinet bar.
I'm not sure how heavy duty your filing cabinet is, but with many, locking the front doesn't make them secure, because the backs, bottoms, and tops are feeble.
I have a cabinet out of a post office, that I was given when the post office closed, which, one, is an almost immovable object, secondly, it has good locks, and thirdly, it is made of very heavy, about quarter inch thick steel all round. I think it's fireproof too.
The irony of me having this, is that I can't even remember what I've put in it, but I do know it can't be worth anything much. I'll have to take a look, it may be some things that I've been searching for but couldn't find.
Also, you need to consider bolting it down, probably to concrete.
Last edited by BECLAZONE; 03-19-2023 at 04:37 PM..
well, this is what we do...
we do not emphasize where the "good stuff" is.
1. we got a free small safe off Craig's List,
which serves as our decoy. filled with
pennies and bricks. maybe they take
that and run.
2. of course, all our computers
are backed up in numerous ways.
3. essentially, the "good stuff"
is in "weird places". here is one example:
our emergency cash is in our dryer stuffed
into socks along with towels/etc..yes,
it could be considered "laundered money".
Saw a good picture I wish I could copy and paste here. It's the spare tire cover on a Jeep that says "This vehicle equipped with millennial anti-theft device." and it showed the diagram of how to shift gears in a manual 6 speed with reverse. lol
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...I have a safe, but ...1) it's in another part of the house.....2) I'm in and out of this cabinet a lot and want easy access or me, just not someone else.
