A guide to theft prevention for when you’re out of the house.
These days, it’s difficult to travel without taking at least a few valuable belongings with you. This can include things like your laptop or other expensive electronic equipment, a fancy camera, important travel documents like your passport, and anything else of value to you.
Replacing these items can be a great financial burden and in some cases, there may be sentimental value attached to your belongings that cannot be easily replaced. It’s far better to prepare for the worst, and arm yourself with the best ways to keep your stuff safe.
To help you protect what’s yours so you can enjoy your time traveling without worrying about things being stolen, we’ve put together a list of the best tips and tricks for keeping your valuables safe when out and about, from keeping things close to taking out insurance.
We hope these help!
Take Only What You Need
It might sound obvious, but the more valuables you take with you when you’re traveling or going out for the day, the more you’re at risk of losing or having them stolen from you.
When you’re packing for your trip, try to only take what you really need with you. That means leaving your expensive jewelry, credit cards you won’t use, unnecessary electronics, and any large amounts of cash at home where they can be kept safe.
That way, if you do end up losing your bags or if your things are stolen, you’ll have less on you to lose in the first place.
Don’t Make Yourself an Easy Target
It’s a well-known fact that tourists make an easy target. While you don’t have to get all dressed up in the local fashions, it’s wise to try and look like you know your way around a little bit and to carry your valuables in a bag that isn’t hanging loosely off your shoulder.
Other ways to avoid making yourself look like an easy target include:
- Don’t flash your cash or valuables when you’re out in public or on public transportation.
- Keep your hand over the opening of your bag when walking through crowds.
- Don’t leave valuables poking out of your bag where thieves can spot them.
- Don’t wear earphones with music playing loudly and keep the wires hidden under your clothing.
- Don’t walk alone at night or when it’s dark.
Most of the time, just use your common sense and you should be fine. Stay alert and keep your eyes peeled for anybody who might be acting suspicious, such as staring at you or your belongings or following you around, especially if this continues onto public transport.
Invest in an Anti-Theft Bag
One of the most simple yet effective ways to make it harder for thieves to steal from you is to invest in an anti-theft bag or a concealed carry backpack.
These are usually slash-proof, FRID-blocking, water-resistant (more on this later), pretty durable, and generally designed to keep your valuables safe from pick-pocketers.
Waterproof Protection
It’s not just loss and theft you need to worry about when you’re out and about with valuables, as they could also become damaged during transit through wear and tear or water damage.
This is why it’s a good idea to invest in waterproof protection for your valuables, such as a waterproof phone case that will allow you to take underwater photos with your smartphone.
Keep Your Things Close
Traveling can be hectic and, when you’ve arrived and you’re enjoying yourself, it’s easy to become a little lax about where your valuables are, leaving them vulnerable to thieves.
If you’re traveling with another person, you can take it in shifts to keep an eye on your belongings when you’re at the beach, for example, so there’s never an opportunity for someone else to come along and steal your valuables without you realizing.
Even if you’re traveling alone, you could ask the people around you (if you deem them to be trustworthy enough) to keep an eye on your things for you while you go for a dip in the sea. Most people are good and will be happy to do so, and then you can offer to return the favor!
Have a Back-Up Plan
Even with the best will in the world and despite our best efforts, we can’t prevent bad things from happening, hence why it’s always best to have a plan B. For example, always print and carry, separately, two copies of important travel documents or hotel booking confirmations.
It’s also a good idea to carry valuables in separate bags if you can to prevent the loss of all your valuables at once in the event that one of your bags is lost or stolen. Maybe bring a couple of disposable cameras along in case you damage or misplace your main camera.
Turn On Find My Phone
If you have a smartphone that allows you to use a “Find My Phone” feature, make sure you have it turned on whenever you leave the house. This will allow you to trace the phone to its most recent location in the event that you misplace it by signing into another device.
Hopefully, you’ll be able to go back to wherever you left it and it will still be there, but even if it has been stolen, you might be able to go to the police who will be able to help retrieve it.
Password Protect Your Electronic Devices
Although it isn’t ideal, the best thing you can do to protect your personal information is to password protect all of your electronic devices so that thieves can’t access your files if they manage to get hold of them which reduces your risk of becoming a victim of fraud.
If a thief spots that your phone has a password on it when they’re scoping you out as a potential target, this could be enough to put them off trying to steal it from you in the first place as it will be harder to sell on afterward which makes you less of an easy target.
Take Out Travel Insurance
In the worst-case scenario, it’s always better to have taken out travel insurance which can help you pay to replace your belongings. Make sure to research different types of insurance offered by different companies and always check the terms and conditions of the agreement.
It can also be a good idea to print out a copy (or should we say two copies) of your insurance details to carry with you when you’re traveling so you can refer to it if you need to. These will also have the contact details you will need in the event that you make a claim.
Final Thoughts
There’s no reason why you won’t be able to enjoy your time away from home without fear, provided that you keep in mind these tips and tricks for keeping your belongings safe when you’re out and about, and learn how to keep your valuables safe while you’re on the road.
No more having to file insurance claims or replace expensive belongings after having them stolen! Just remember to practice common sense and to have a backup plan, as well as the appropriate insurance to cover you in the case of any potential thefts or losses.
It’s always better to be safe than sorry, so remember to stay safe and vigilant at all times!
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