Stealing is an unfortunate reality we deal with.
But it doesn’t have to be YOUR reality, especially when you’re on a tight budget going to college and can’t afford to re-buy that laptop you spent your tax returns on.
The military has a saying. It goes, “There’s only one thief in the army. Everyone else is just trying to get their stuff back.” If you are lucky enough to have a God-fearing roommate with a guilty conscience, still don’t trust it. You may have a lock on your bedroom door (and if you don’t, get a hasp lock and a combination lock or keyed lock NOW) for while you’re gone for the day, but you still want a space inside your room for while you’re out washing your car or taking a bath. I’ve had items stolen from me, and it’s devastating, especially when you already own so little and there is no way to buy it again, or – worse – some valuable family heirloom or some such which you can never replace.
WHAT SHOULD YOU LOCK UP?
If you have that $20,000 diamond heirloom necklace that’s been kept in the family since the Visigoths sacked Rome, you’ve got to lock it up. Simple as that. I don’t care if your roommate is a saint. For your own peace of mind, lock it up. You’re locking up anything with either monetary or personal value. Which is what?
- Jewelry
- Electronics (iPods, earbuds, cell phones, laptops)
- Grandmother’s ivory handle mirror
- Spare cash
- Credit cards
- Whatever thing your roommate has been eyeing
- Anything you don’t want to spend money on again
HOW TO KEEP YOUR STUFF SAFE:
You don’t even need an expensive safe. Here’s the thing about locks: they are only for honest thieves. Because the truth is, if a thief wants to break into your apartment, he’s either going to pry the door open with a crowbar or break the window, both of which have nothing to do with the strength of the lock (which can be cut, anyway.) Here are a few affordable ideas:
- Buy a plastic drawer set ($5-$10). Use a hammer and nail to create a hole somewhere in the drawer where you can slide a lock through. Make sure you paint or tape over the sides of the drawer (if you bought one with clear sides) so the contents can’t be seen. If thieves can’t see what they’re stealing, they won’t waste their time.
- If you brought your hope chest from home, install a hasp lock and keyed lock on it.
- Get an old military style duffle bag from a thrift store or an army surplus store. Those bags only have one opening which folds closed through eye-loops that you can slide any lock through. The canvas sides are also tough. Can’t be ripped open by hand.
KEEP IN MIND:
Locks are only for honest thieves. Most thieves only steal things because they see an easy, untraceable opportunity to do so, such as the desired item is out in the open and you are nowhere near it. Ever heard, “Out of sight, out of mind”? If the thief doesn’t see it, they can’t take it. So, at the very least, if you can’t lock it up, don’t put it in plain sight. The thief is much more likely to nab your cell phone if it’s lying on your bed than they are to knife open your locked backpack.
About the author:
J.M. Robison is a fantasy author who’s written 8 fantasy novels to date (1 published, 3 more to be published in 2018) She’s quested over foreign lands with the U.S. Army, and currently attains high hopes to quit her day job to stay home and get paid to write. She makes her own shampoo, lotions, laundry soap, face wash, cleaners, and toothpaste (she’s anti-chemical anything in her home). Some day she’ll pack the wagon and roam the mountains in search of dragons.
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