Internal Security: How to Secure the Inside of Your Storage Unit
There are countless articles online about securing your storage locker, but most of these articles focus on keeping thieves out of your locker. What if you have done everything, from choosing a facility with 24/7 guards to adding additional locks to your unit, but the thieves still get in?
Unfortunately, you have to think of that threat, but luckily, there are things you can do to protect your valuables in the event that a thief gets into your unit.
1. Use lockers inside the unit
Even though your storage locker is locked from the outside, it can be useful to add an extra layer of protection to the valuable goods inside the unit. If you are storing money, jewelry, guns or other valuables, place them inside a lockbox or safe. Locate this near the back of your unit to make it harder to find.
2. Anchor valuables
Whether you have your valuables in a safe or on their own, anchor them in place. If thieves see a safe, they will often just pick the whole thing up and worry about opening it when they get home.
To prevent that, anchor your safe by putting a heavy piece of concrete in the bottom of it to make it impossible to lift or by bolting it to the wall -- check first with the storage company before using any hardware or doing any modifications to your storage locker.
Similarly, if you have valuable items that aren't in safes, anchor them by locking them all together. For example, a thief may be able to easily pick up a bicycle but find it impossible to pick up a bicycle that is locked to a grill, another bicycle and a range of other large items.
3. Use disguises
When packing valuables, hide them near the back of the storage unit. Most thieves will look around quickly, grab what they see and leave, and that makes hiding objects a relatively effective strategy.
In addition to strategic placement, you can also hide items by mislabeling boxes. Instead of writing "expensive jewellery" on a box, for example, you can write "old bed sheets".
4. Book insurance coverage
Unfortunately, regardless of how many safety precautions you take, thefts can happen, even in the most secure facilities. To ensure you are prepared for the financial implications of a theft, book insurance.
Contact your home or renter's insurance agent and see if that policy covers your items in storage. Also, talk with the storage facility about any optional insurance plans it may offer.
For more information and the security and self storage prices of local companies, give them a call.
