Going away for school is always exciting. While you are packing up all of your personal belongings (iPads, cellphones, computers, and even your credit cards), how much thought have you put into protecting those items? College dorm rooms are the perfect hunting ground for thieves. With doors constantly left unlocked and rooms unattended throughout the day and night, thieves can slip in and steal just about whatever they want.
Luckily, there are ways to avoid being robbed and properly secure your belongings while you are embarking on your college adventure.
Effective Ways to Protect Your Stuff at College
You would be surprised at just how easy it is to protect your stuff, and some of these steps will cost little to no money to do. Some steps you can take include:
Signing Your Stuff – Your driver’s license is in your wallet, so that has already been branded, but you will want to sign your other expensive items. For example, your laptop computer, camera or even your smartphone. You can digitally sign your portable media items, engrave the case of your laptop or just use permanent marker. Doing so makes a thief less likely to take something that is branded with the original owner’s name.
Have a Unique Carrying Case – Instead of a traditional laptop case, look for a “hidden” case. These are disguised to look like other items, such as newspapers. That way, people do not know what you are really carrying around.
Hide Cash Carefully – Inside your dorm room, be creative with your cash stash. You will want to leave bits of money in different hiding spots that are easier to find and your large stash somewhere else. When a thief finds a small stash, they will assume they have found your store and leave the rest of your dorm alone.
Use a Laptop Security System – These systems secure your laptop with a physical lock, but also can use your webcam to take a photograph of the thief. You can also install a computer tracker, so that you can find your laptop if it is lost or stolen.
Inventory Everything – It is critical that you inventory everything you own. Write down the product make and model as well as the serial number. That way, if any item is ever stolen, you have the information needed to report it to the local police or the university campus security as well as your insurance company (if your items are insured).
Lock the Doors and Windows When You Leave – It sounds too simple, but it is still the most effective way to prevent thievery. Just locking your doors and windows to your dorm room will reduce the likelihood your personal items are stolen or your room is ransacked. If you have a roommate, make sure they lock up when they leave too.
Contact an Aurora Locksmith for Tips and Assistance
If your home or dorm room has been recently broken into, contact a locksmith in Markham or Aurora for help securing the space. As experienced locksmiths, we can do everything from changing the locks to installing state-of-the-art systems and even cutting keys to help you get back inside.
Contact Affordable Lock Services Inc. for more tips on how you can secure personal property when you go off to college or go away for school. Contact us online or call us at .
Affordable Lock is a locksmith in Markham serving the Greater Toronto Area, including Scarborough, Aurora, North York, Newmarket, Richmond Hill, Vaughan and Stouffville. With over 30 years of experience, we pride ourselves on looking after your commercial or residential locksmith needs. Affordable Lock’s showroom in Markham showcases a wide selection of keys, locks and an assortment of other security products for your home or business. Whether you are looking to upgrade your home or business’s security, or solve security issues, Affordable Lock Services Inc. in Markham is here for you! Give us a call today.