There are going to be times in your life when you will need to simply trust people who you let into your home for various reasons. People such as:
House cleaners: House cleaners get in the nooks and crannies of your home and have to be trustworthy. They see everything, they touch everything, and if they find your grandmother's ring wedged behind the couch pillows, you want to trust that they will bring it to your attention.
Contractors: When bringing in a plumber to make a repair or install an appliance, or a carpenter, painter, electrician or anyone else, know that someone in one of these crews will be looking at your stuff as a week's pay.
Babysitters or nannies: You not only trust them to come into your home, but you also are trusting them with your kids. Anyone you trust your kids' safety with can do the most damage because they are SO trusted they think you aren't paying attention at all.
Roommates: Living with someone requires the utmost trust. But what makes you think that dude you found on Craigslist is actually 100 percent honest and upfront with you?
The New York Post reports, "A real-estate agent sold an Upper West Side town house to the owner of an art gallery-then allegedly looted the home of more than $500,000 in high-end goods when the victim and her family were away in the Hamptons." One source reported, "He has a drug and gambling problem."
Well, there you go. Drugs make nice people bad people. Drugs make honest people liars. And some people just come out of their mamas as liars and bad guys.
So what does a trusting person do?
- Background checks: Before letting anyone into your home, make sure the employer has done a background check and you do one on a roommate or nanny. But just because the person has a clean record doesn't mean his or she isn't smoking a little crack here and there. So...
- Drug testing: Insist on drug testing for anyone who enters your home-especially if that person is taking care of your kids. But people can scam a drug test, and some people who don't do drugs are just plain liars. So...
- Get a safe: Put all your valuables into a safe that is bolted to the floor. You can also remove your valuables and/or put them into a safety deposit box. Insure everything, too. But it's not always convenient, practical or possible to remove everything. So...
- Install security cameras: Security cameras tied into a home security system that can be monitored from your mobile device allow you to keep an eye on things. You can even point to the cameras when you leave and joke with the contractor and do the dual finger point and say in your best Robert DeNiro voice, "I'm watching you, Focker." But cameras don't always "prevent" someone from stealing something, but they do act as a deterrent. So...
- Lock off certain rooms: Installing interior door locks will prevent someone from simply walking into a bedroom or office and rummaging through your stuff. But anyone with a leg and a foot can easily kick in a bedroom door. So...
- Cross your fingers, hope and trust: You should do all of the above to add multiple layers of security to your home, even when protecting your stuff from those you trust. Trust is overrated; we do it too much. But still, we wouldn't be able to function in an interdependent society without it. Just sayin'.
Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to BestHomeSecurityCompanys.com discussing burglar proofing your home on Fox Boston. Disclosures.
