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Authorities are alerting the public about a recent surge in burglaries orchestrated by organized theft groups, often originating from South America. These groups are known to conduct physical and technical surveillance to prepare for their crimes so they can orchestrate a quick burglary to minimize risk of being apprehended.
These burglary rings are using tactics like disabling security systems with Wi-Fi jamming devices, covering security cameras and concealing their identities.
Thieves target high-profile individuals like athletes and celebrities as well as everyday homeowners in high-end neighborhoods. For instance, prominent athletes’ homes have been targeted on game day and lost millions of dollars in jewelry, cash, and irreplaceable personal items. The FBI has issued a formal warning to sports leagues about organized theft groups targeting professional athletes. “These homes are targeted for burglary due to the perception they may have high-end goods like designer handbags, jewelry, watches, and cash,” the FBI said in a Liaison Information Report obtained by ABC News.
The FBI report stated that "organized theft groups allegedly burglarized the homes of at least nine professional athletes" between September and November 2024. News outlets have reported burglaries at the homes of Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Joe Burrow, Luka Doncic, Mike Conley JR, Bobby Portis and Evgeni Malkin.
Valuables stolen from actor Keanu Reeves’ home were found in Chile. Police confirmed to ABC News in December 2024 that three luxury watches, including a Rolex valued at $9,000, were discovered.
The FBI is urging athletes to report any suspicious activity promptly and to take proactive steps to safeguard their belongings. Recommendations include maintaining detailed records of valuables, creating an inventory of items and their locations, and implementing enhanced security measures at home. Individuals are also advised to exercise caution on social media by avoiding posts that reveal the interior of their homes, display valuable possessions, or share real-time updates while on vacation.
A robust safe provides an additional barrier, ensuring that even if primary security measures fail, possessions remain secure. By choosing a high-quality safe, homeowners can significantly reduce the risk of losing treasured items to increasingly organized and advanced criminal activities.
The primary reason many opt for a safe is to prevent unauthorized access to their most valuable items. Unauthorized access could be from burglars, contractors, cleaning services, guests, potential home buyers, as well as children in the home. Ensuring children cannot access items like firearms, jewelry, or sensitive documents is a top priority for parents. A safe with a mechanical or electronic lock provides peace of mind. Steelhead Outdoors safes offers both types of locks, including the S&G Titan Direct Drive electronic lock. Steelhead Outdoors’ policy is to retain the mechanical lock combination or the electronic lock master reset code on file to provide customer support in the event of a lost combination. For additional security, this data is stored offsite with a unique identifier relating to the safe serial number and the decoder is kept at another separate location. If a customer would not like Steelhead Outdoors to retain any records relating to a safe combination or master code, a simple form needs to be completed.
Steelhead Outdoors safes feature numerous high-end features, including double-wall construction with 12-gauge welded, powder-coated exterior panels and 20-gauge interior panels, along with a 7-gauge plate door (3/16”). A fully modular interior racking system ensures limitless configurations of shelving and racks, catering to individual needs and preferences.
Keeping valuables hidden within a safe is important but also consider the safe’s location. Steelhead Outdoors advises against placing safes in garages, which are often targeted during break-ins and pose higher fire risks. Additionally, frequent garage door use can expose the safe to neighbors and passersby.
Experts recommend discreetly locating the safe inside a home. Steelhead Outdoors offers customizable safes tailored to specific size requirements and aesthetic preferences, including various color options. Some Steelhead Outdoors customers install a bank of safes to secure large collections.
Steelhead Outdoors provides modular safes with customizable interiors, allowing owners to optimize storage for their unique needs. In the unfortunate event of a break-in, a safe can minimize losses and often pays for itself over time. While no safe is entirely theft-proof, additional security features can deter burglars and buy valuable time.
Unlike traditional safes that use moisture-trapping drywall insulation, Steelhead Outdoors’ safes employ a patent-pending two-stage dry ceramic fiber insulation. This system prevents moisture buildup, reducing the risk of rust and corrosion for any stored items, including firearms.
Experts recommend to inventory valuables, have items appraised and purchase special riders in addition to homeowner insurance to cover jewelry and other valuables. Some insurance policies require the use of a safe, especially for high-value items like jewelry, collectibles, or firearms, as a condition for coverage. Consult with an insurance agent to clarify policy details. Guns.com suggests considering a separate policy that can be purchased through a homeowner’s insurance company or through a separate policy from a company that specializes in firearm-specific policies.
Some insurance companies offer discounts for using a safe, recognizing that it reduces the likelihood of theft-related claims. Steelhead Outdoors can provide proof of purchase for their high-quality safes to help customers access these discounts.
Fire-rated safes protect valuables during unforeseen disasters. Many safes are designed with thicker steel walls and seals that expand under high heat to block fire and smoke. While fire ratings vary by manufacturer and testing methods, modular safes often fit into safer areas of the home, such as basements or closets, providing additional protection.
Adding a safe monitor within a safe offers peace of mind. Simtek StealthALERT is known as the best safe monitoring system on the market. It provides real-time alerts, 3-in-1 detector sensors and temperature and humidity. Because it uses 4G it can transmit through the walls of the safe. It’s portable so it can be used in a pistol box and while traveling in addition to inside a large gun safe at home. It adds a second layer of protection to a safe with infrared motion (PIR), light and accelerometer sensors. Alerts will be delivered to a mobile device through the Simtek app as well as through SMS. The Simtek StealthALERT also monitors temperature, humidity and battery level through the app. A data plan is required for monitoring.
Steelhead Outdoors’ modular safes are a long-term investment. Unlike traditional safes, modular safes can be disassembled for easy transport, making them ideal for those who may relocate. Disassembly is only possible by accessing the hardware from inside the safe. Made in the USA, Steelhead Outdoors safes support American jobs while offering high-quality protection.
Homeowners may consider building a secure room with a vault door. Steelhead Outdoors works closely with security firms and contractors to provide customizable vault doors to fit a customer’s security and aesthetic needs.
As organized crime rings become more sophisticated, safes and vault doors act as a second line of defense against theft.