Things get stolen for all types of reasons. Sometimes, the least valuable things are the first ones taken. When it comes to common items lifted, however, some are key targets for sticky fingers. If you have them, you should safeguard and hold them close. What might not seem that valuable to you apparently has a high resale value. So if you don’t want to have to replace them, keep them under lock and key.
Mobile Phones
Gone are the days of the car or bag phone, but they are still a hot and trendy commodity. According to statistics, one in ten people has reported that their smartphone has been smartly removed from them. Of those lifted, 68% are never returned. Ironically, most mobile devices can’t be used again due to safety lock features, which leaves many people scratching their heads wondering why someone stole them at all. It isn’t that anyone wants the phone; it is the power of the information contained within.
Designer Accessories and Clothing
Designer clothing and accessories are always a hot commodity for resale. There is a real and healthy market for stolen items with many venues to post them for sale. Seasonal items and limited ones are even more valuable. The thing that makes them most attractive is that the logos and emblems are easy to spot for those who know their value, making them a good target.
Bicycles
Bicycles are a hot commodity for resale, and they are often left unsecured. Even when you do lock them up, good thieves can lift them without a problem. We all want to believe in the goodness of humanity, but if you have two wheels, make sure two are locked tight, or they’ll be ridden away.
Mobile Devices and Laptops
Coveted portable devices make easy targets for a quick cash-in. Mobile devices and technology devices are not only easy to steal, but they are simple to resell. According to statistics, over 97% of all laptops stolen are never found or recovered.
Power Tools
Oddly enough, power tools top the list of those things most stolen in the United States. For those in the construction industry, making money and excelling in your trade are all about the tools that you have. When you can get them for a fraction of the cost, it just makes sense. High-quality power tools are expensive, but a little less so when you can get them secondhand. For the thief, however, they still command a high price tag when resold.
Guns and Pistols
According to recent statistics, in 2022, more than 7,900 pistols were reported stolen or misplaced in the United States. Pistols are stolen more than any other type of firearm. Next on the list are rifles, revolvers, and shotguns. The reason they are so valuable is that they are hard to get and even harder to trace.
Financial Information
Financial information is something that no one needs to steal an actual item to obtain. Credit cards, if someone can gain access to them, can be very lucrative. If you are going to buy things online or give someone your financial information, make sure they are trustworthy and don’t ever supply financial information via text or over the internet unless it is a secure line
Personal Identification
Personal identifiers like social security numbers and birth certificates can be used to make all sorts of financial arrangements and transactions. Before you hand out as much as your name and address, make sure you know who you are giving it to. It is amazing how much someone can gain from having your driver’s license, social security number, and middle name.
Beauty Products
The beauty industry is a multi-million dollar one. Cosmetics and beauty products command a lot of money on the resale market. With so many fakes out there, if you have the real deal, it can produce a lot of money for those who know what they are stealing and reselling.
Jewelry
Jewelry is expensive when you purchase it from a retail outlet, but the value and timelessness aren’t always about the carat or the cost of precious metal. Unique jewelry pieces are appreciated and valued for their design and can be in high demand if using the right channels. According to FBI statistics, more than $100 million worth of jewels and jewelry are stolen annually and resold on markets around the US.
Prescription Drugs
With the crackdown on opioid drugs, prescription medications have become harder and harder to get. Stolen prescriptions are in high demand, and they are also used to commit healthcare and medicare fraud. The safety seal on the medicine bottle will only keep out children, so make sure you keep the bottle away from adults who seek to steal and resell your needed medications.
Tobacco and Alcohol
It might not seem like alcohol is valuable, but it is for those addicted who can’t get it. It is also a commodity for people who aren’t old enough to buy it legally. Alcohol and tobacco are highly regulated at the state level. They put a high tax on it, making it worth more. Addictions drive people to value things, which means that those things that you can’t get your hand on easily are worth way more.
Automotive Parts
Not only is getting your car repaired expensive, but the parts that mechanics need to do so are the catalysts behind the high repair costs. Aftermarket parts from foreign countries are okay, but real parts that are American-made are even more valuable. Things like car stereos, original hubcaps, and hood ornaments that can’t be replaced without taking from an existing car can command a high price tag if taken from a vintage or classic car.
Electronics and Accessories
It used to be very lucrative to steal and resell things like disc players and projection televisions. Nowadays, small and seemingly insignificant electronic accessories like AirPods and headphones can bring a lot of resell money. Once more, they are often easy to take without anyone noticing.
Sporting Equipment
Things like fishing gear equipment and golf clubs are very expensive and also very easy to resell. There is a huge second-hand market for sporting goods. Specific sports equipment can’t be traced but can be sold very easily without being detected.
Video Consoles and Games
Gamers are very particular about their systems and don’t have a problem purchasing them second-hand. Also, now that games can be downloaded on systems when they do come used, they often have built-in games. That’s an extra plus. Video consoles, games, and accessories are a target for many thieves looking to cash in quickly.
Pets
As horrible as it is, pets are something you should safeguard, especially if they are purebred. People will pretty much pay anything to get their pet back; it is like losing a member of the family. Thieves will take animals and then demand a ransom for their return. As hard as it is to believe it could happen to you, it can. When owners refuse to pay to get them back, thieves sell to the highest bidder.
Surveillance Cameras
Ironically, cameras that you set up around your home, like camera systems, the ring, and others, are a target for thieves. You can tell when the battery isn’t working on them, which means a thief can snatch them up and resell them. Since they aren’t cheap, it is a good idea to make sure that they are always set to arm with a full battery.
Thievery is alive and well in the US. Although some will steal anything, sometimes for personal gain, others to resell, these common items disappear frequently. You shouldn’t have to live your life suspiciously worrying that someone is going to take what’s yours, but you should at least have your wits about you and take care to ensure that you lock things up when they are important to you. If you don't, they just might be here today, gone tomorrow.
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