Gold and jewellery thefts are on the rise – follow these simple tips to keep yours safe and sound

As the saying goes, diamonds are a girl’s (and boy’s!) best friend – so you want to make sure they stay safe and sound.

Following a rise in gold and jewellery thefts in Northamptonshire, we caught up with Northamptonshire Police to understand how you can best protect your valuables, to ensure its only you who gets to wear them.

• Invest in a good quality safe – secured to a brick wall or floor. You can search for approved and tested security products at www.securedbydesign.com or www.soldsecure.com to make sure what you’re buying will do the job;
• Consider removing your gold and jewellery from your home – speak to your bank to find out what safety deposit boxes are available and if this would be a better option for expensive items that you wear less often;
• Keep it to yourself! If you have valuable items and jewellery at home, avoid talking about it in crowded places and amongst people you don’t know. If the wrong person hears you have a gold mine a few streets away, you’re half-way to being a future burglary target;
• Mark your jewellery with a suitable security product – such as SmartWater® or similar. Register your items for free at www.immobilise.com. You can find more information on traceable liquids at www.securedbydesign.com;
• Take pictures of your valuables – photograph each piece and keep a written description. This will help in appealing for information and returning it to you if it is ever stolen;
• Check your home insurance – make sure it covers your high-value gold and jewellery. Some policies don’t cover items over £1,000, others won’t provide cover unless they are detailed on the policy;
• Improve your home security – keep doors and windows locked and check callers before opening the door. Further crime prevention advice is available at www.northants.police.uk; and
• Report suspicious activity – if you see people acting suspiciously or unusual vehicles parked, report them to police by calling 101. In an emergency, call 999.

Click here to download the Northamptonshire Police information leaflets in English, Bengali and Gujarati.