Never thought it could happen in my family. My mom lives 3,000 miles away from me in a beautiful town in CA. This past Wednesday, her condo was broken in to in broad daylight by professional thieves. They stole EVERYTHING. Police came and they determined that a tool was used to open lock on front door. It was a "good" lock that was supposed to be "secure". My mom only uses her alarm system at night and when she travels. Obviously for now she will use it everytime she sets a foot out her door. The police said the safest place for your valuables is in safe deposit box at bank. I bought a $399 safe a few years ago and had it bolted to the floor. Police say they are not safe because if you are in the house during a robbery - the thieves will make you open it. Also, online there are videos that are posted on how to get into those safes in under 30 seconds. I took my 3 rolexes, 2 j12s, 2 Cartier watches and 3 Love bracelets to the safe at bank the second the bank opened today. Being down the shore all summer, I don't need or want over $50,000 of jewelry in my home. Just something for people to think about.......

Totally agree with what you said.

Happened to me while my parents were dropping me off to university a few years back. Very sad. The most heartbreaking thing was when my mom was crying and said it wasn't because she lost her stuff, it was cuz she didn't have anything to pass on to me anymore :'(

So sorry for your mother, OP. I hope she didn't lose too many sentimental pieces.

The UK banks are discontinuing safe deposit boxes, so I'm not sure what we're supposed to do over here. There are some private safe deposit places, but it somehow doesn't feel as secure. This is a good reminder that I need to do SOMETHING for my own peace of mind.

Ugh that is HORRIBLE. I hope that the police can help recover some of her stuff.

So sorry to hear about this Hokoplan. After reading this I am calling the bank about a safety deposit box. I feel sick just reading about this, thank goodness nothing happened to your mom.

I am curious to know how most people store their jewelry.
Keeping pieces in a safe deposit box sounds very tempting right now...especially for those sentimental and valuable pieces like diamond pieces that are not worn everyday..
This sounds like an especially good idea if one is leaving for vacation.

My mom is ok. Some interesting things:
2 items she found today. They were stored in little decorated pillboxes - not much bigger than a thimble. One was a pair of diamond earrings and the other was an eternal pearl on a chain. So perhaps a good idea is to store jewelry in pillboxes. Also, while every single article was thrown out of closets - garment bags were not unzipped. So these thieves did not look between suit jackets for hanging bags of accessories. That might be another idea to store special things in garment bags. Clothing was tossed probably hunting for a safe to try to crack open. PLEASE don't keep any valuables at home while on vacation!!!!!

So sorry to hear that. I would be sick to my stomach.

I agree that if you have an alarm it's important to use it all of the time. Thieves rob you during the day when you aren't home. Our neighbors were robbed and told no one they were going to be on vacation. The thieves just kicked in the front door and loaded up their truck with everything.

I think if you don't have a safe at home and don't want to store everything at a safe deposit box at the bank it's best to break up your collection and hide it all over the house. Don't keep everything in one place like a jewelry box that screams steal me.

I have to get on my grandmother because she likes to leave expensive jewelry in her jewelry box and has had several items stolen before from handymen/painters. She has alot of housecleaners/handymen coming through her house and I think she doesn't think about locking up items that could be temptation to steal.

I think this has motivated me to go get a safe deposit box tomorrow.

This is terrible. I'm so sorry about your Mom. Unfortunately something very similar happened to me 2 months ago. I've lost most of my jewelry (some things I will never be able to buy - things I got from my grandma etc.). Anyway, they didn't pay too much attention to my closed nor bags. They didn't check the towels in the bathroom closet, they didn't do much mess, but I think all of this is because I kept my jewelry in a jewelry box in the bedroom in a visible place, so they didn't bother to look for more. And this is the only reason they didn't took all of my daughter's jewelry which was in a regular box in a closet (she's 6 so there are not so many pieces, besides what she got for her christening, bday etc).
Anyway, I think there's no safe place to store valuable things at home. In our case they even checked the basement. My friends told me that when she had a burlgary they emptied their freezer to make sure there's nothing in there. I guess people keep their jewels in really weird place, but unfortunately those who break in know what they're doing and look everywhere (unless you leave everything in a visible place like me ...)

this is HORRIBLE! I am so sorry this happened. I would be devastated and sick if this happened to me.

I have an alarm system and arm it every time I leave the house. I have been thinking for a long time about buying a big safe and mounting it to the floor in a closet. I have also been considering this camera that you mount to your porch. It'ss constantly on and records everything it see's. After reading this, I also feel motivated to do more to protect the house. Again, I am so sorry.

So sorry to hear this :(
I put some of the pieces I don't wear in the bank and the others spread around the house. You can buy fake coke cans which you place in a kitchen cupboard and put some pieces in there - might be worth it!

I also have a safe in my house but it is not drilled down..,we got it from Costco a few weeks ago for a great price

in-home fireproof safe, a good $400 investment - keep all items in there, except for a few at a time the you would wear often.
Bank safety deposit box for all other items, paperwork.

I have the bolted safe in my home! But there are instructions online describing step-by-step how to crack them open! So I therefore don't trust it. Also, if you are in the house during a burglary - they will make you open it. I purchased my safe for around $350 I think from Office Max but I don't feel safe with it anymore :( That is why I brought everything to my bank safe this morning.

So sorry about your Mom, Hokaplan...so upsetting! While some things can never be replaced I do hope she had insurance.