Wondering how to protect valuables from would-be thieves and robbers? Trade in stolen art and jewelry is a multi-billion dollar industry worldwide, so it makes sense to take steps to protect your assets. Here at Lauth Investigations International, we are dedicated not only to tracking and recovering stolen precious goods, but also advising diligent owners on how to protect valuables against external threats in the first place. Read on to discover our top tips for keeping the thieves away from your door.Â
1. Identify the High Value Items That You Need to Protect
Far too many owners of heirloom artworks, jewelry, and other high value assets don’t recognize the desirability of their treasures until they’ve been taken. Stay ahead of those who might target you with awareness of what needs to be safeguarded. Precious items might include paintings, sculptures, jewelry, watches, rugs, silverware, instruments, antique china or crystal, furs, firearms, and other collectibles. Knowing how to protect valuables starts with knowing where and what they are, and how much they are worth.
2. Review and Update Your Insurance Coverage
High-value items require specific insurance coverage that will likely exceed the limits of your homeowner insurance policy. Ahead of purchasing scheduled personal property coverage, we recommend meeting with your insurance advisor directly to identify policy vulnerabilities. Keep in mind that the value of assets like art and jewelry can go up and down over time. This makes it essential to track market values or have your items reappraised periodically to ensure that your policies always represent their true value.
3. Document Your Art and Jewelry
When a precious item is stolen, time is of the essence and having all the information on hand is vital if pursuit of the perpetrators is to be successful. Take detailed photos of your valuables, and detail all identifying features. Scan all documentation, including purchase receipts, provenance paperwork, and appraisals. Securely store the originals separately from the items themselves, and the digital versions using a cloud-based service. You can also consider using a purpose-built database to catalog your collection, like interpol’s Art-ID app.
4. Install Sophisticated Security Systems
When it comes to how to protect valuables, it’s key to understand that they are only as secure as the location where they are stored. High-value jewelry is far more vulnerable in a jewelry box or nightstand than it would be in a safe or safe deposit box. Equally, art work on the wall of a home with a state-of-the-art intruder alert system and CCTV cameras will be far safer than that in a home that would be easy to enter undetected. Artworks themselves can be fitted with alarms, too. Your insurance company may reduce your rate in reflection of this added protection.
5. Use Tracking Technology
While art collectors have long been concealing identifying markers on their most precious assets, these days the advent of miniature technology means that we can go further. Paintings, sculptures, and even jewelry cases can be fitted with tiny GPS tracking devices with batteries that last for years. These diminutive gadgets mean that if your art or jewelry goes astray, it won’t get far.
6. Perform Background Checks
How well do you really know your staff? From housekeepers to contractors, those we trust to enter our homes don’t always have the best intentions. On how to protect valuables, one of the most powerful tactics that we recommend is to subject every hire to our comprehensive background check service. This will illuminate anything nefarious in their past that might make you think twice about letting them near your beloved valuables.
7. Seek Tailored Advice Through a Risk and Security Assessment
You hope you’ve thought of everything to thwart potential thieves, but there may still be holes in your well-intended defenses. Our dedicated team of art and jewelry theft investigators are expertly poised to analyze your security measures and identify gaps that need to be closed. For total peace of mind, turn to Lauth Investigations International for guidance on how to protect valuables from every angle. Our team is always here to help, and only a call or message away.