Safe recommendations?

[Countdown]

There appear to have been a few burglaries in our area over the last few months and my wife is worried about her jewellery. It's been accumulated gradually over the last 25 years and, given the current price of gold, I'd be surprised if it's less than six figures. At the moment it's just stored in the bottom of a wardrobe. Our house has a fairly decent alarm and CCTV but she wants me to put something more in place.

One option would be to rent a safety box but that would mean a 30 mile roundtrip every time she wanted to get some out and paying £300 a year rental.

The other option would be to get a floor mounted safe bolted to the garage floor (I'm thinking the size of a small filing cabinet).

Does anybody have any suggestions for "in home security" and particularly any safes?

Thanks for all advice

[biggiles]

I suspect the more secure you make it (look), the harder they will try to get in.

Perhaps 3 options to consider are a) hotel-type combi safes (small, easy to conceal, one for everyday and one for less frequent use); b) gun-safes (lots of space, perhaps less likely to be attacked by a thief looking for gold?) c) great big Thérèse Humbert -style safe (presumably very secure, very enticing, and such a pain to use that you might never use it?).

[Chumley.mouse]

If your putting it in the garage anyway , just convert an old oil can or rat poison bottle to put it in.

[Somebody]

If you live in the Home Counties, have a chat with this company. https://www.londonsafes.co.uk

All reviews I have seen on them are 5 stars.

As to safes they are much of a muchness, so it's down to your budget really, but I would go for a Eurograde 1.

[NDA]

Amazon do a large range of safes - from cheap and cheerful up to more serious models.

I would fit in the back of a cupboard rather than a garage. Hopefully none of us will never experience a 'home invasion' sort of burglary, but having known someone who has, a safe is a bit of a liability in some respects.

[dingg]

Whats the point?

When those nasty burglars start chopping off your fingers one by one you'll let them have whatever is in the safe ,do it before they chop off the first one imo

[Simpo Two]

Chumley.mouse said:

If your putting it in the garage anyway , just convert an old oil can or rat poison bottle to put it in.

I like that. And then have a cheap safe they can find, with dress jewellery in it.

[Chumley.mouse]

dingg said:

Whats the point?

When those nasty burglars start chopping off your fingers one by one you'll let them have whatever is in the safe ,do it before they chop off the first one imo

Think you have been watching too many films.

[Promised Land]

I think the OP is being a big optimistic on values, if she has some Tom in the bottom of a wardrobe worth at least 6 figures it would already be insured on a seperste policy anyway.

You wouldn’t have a £30k Kettle sat on a bed side table that’s not insured would you?

[Nothingtoseehere]

Chumley.mouse said:

dingg said:

Whats the point?

When those nasty burglars start chopping off your fingers one by one you'll let them have whatever is in the safe ,do it before they chop off the first one imo

Think you have been watching too many films.

An extreme example perhaps, but many on this forum would rather leave their car keys easily accessible to thieves, than face their wrath looking for them. The two are quite comparable.

I'm not of that mind, but can understand it.

[Baldchap]

https://www.safeoptions.co.uk/

These guys are very helpful and responsive via email. I have had a couple of safes from them.

[Ham_and_Jam]

Chumley.mouse said:

Think you have been watching too many films.

It happens.

Local taxi firm owner had exactly this scenario a few years ago. Worst part was the info the gang had regarding a large some of money in his safe was wrong.

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-new...

[NDA]

Ham_and_Jam said:

Chumley.mouse said:

Think you have been watching too many films.

It happens.

It does and it has. Happened to good friends of mine - wife's fingers put in secateurs whilst looking for a 'second' safe. There wasn't one. They broke her arm - burglars were never caught. Traumatic (to say the least) and they sold the house and moved away.

That's not to say one shouldn't have a safe - but they can be problematic in that everything that's in there could be nicked in a home invasion. But it's rare.

I have had safes in 4 different houses and it hasn't happened to me.

[RGG]

I'm a bit lateral, but - I would buy and fit a decent safe, put a couple of hundred in it and some zirconia - then hide my valuables under the floorboards with a hidden access flap - seriously.

[wombleh]

I was after a safety deposit box and found hardly anywhere does them any more.

A safe with insurance rating for that much will be fairly pricey, prob £1k+. Be worth getting it fitted professionally if going that route to make sure insurer can’t wiggle out of a claim.

I’ve got a cheaper one that is only rated for about £10k for keeping some work bits in, went for just a key as don’t trust the electronics.

[Somebody]

Metrobank has safe deposit boxes in their branches. https://www.metrobankonline.co.uk/safe-deposit-box...

[mikeiow]

Simpo Two said:

Chumley.mouse said:

If your putting it in the garage anyway , just convert an old oil can or rat poison bottle to put it in.

I like that. And then have a cheap safe they can find, with dress jewellery in it.

Our daughter now does that after thieves broke into her Uni room & took her “valuables”.
Value only a grand or so, although her insurance gave her rather more in vouchers to spend at select jewellers, so a bit of a life lesson for her. Insure it well, and leave a dummy for the scrotes to take first.

We use a hollowed out book for some small valuables. Kids know where it is. Burglars wouldn’t….but it isn’t £100k of valuables….

[Geertsen]

1.25kg of 18ct, or 2.5kg of 9ct. That’s a lot of gold.

Probably best to get a few smalller safes than one big one so that all the eggs aren’t in one basket.

[Mabbs9]

These sort of things are subtle. Not every wall would be suitable though.

[Chumley.mouse]

Nothingtoseehere said:

An extreme example perhaps, but many on this forum would rather leave their car keys easily accessible to thieves, than face their wrath looking for them. The two are quite comparable.

I'm not of that mind, but can understand it.

The difference with having an expensive car on the drive is that the thieves know the keys are inside somewhere and will search for them. Now Hiding 100k worth of jewellery or cash in the garage …..how would they even know to start looking for it in the first place ? Just leave a few cheaper items in the bedroom and they will take them and go.