According to the FBI's crime statistics, televisions are one of the top 10 most-stolen items. This is probably because they're expensive and relatively easy to carry.
So how do you make sure your TV doesn't become a statistic?
The best way, of course, is a complete home security plan that protects your home in layers—like a castle.
But let's assume you've already done most of that. What, specifically, can you do to protect your television? Well, here are 2 good options...
Lock up the television
No, we don't mean putting it in a safe whenever you leave home (though that could work). You can actually lock your TV to the wall mount to prevent burglars and thieves from easily running away with it.
While some people have attempted to modify a bike lock to serve this purpose, a better option is a special TV anti-theft security kit.
How it works:
- Screw a heavy-duty cable (similar to those on bike locks) into the back of your TV.
- Add access caps over the screws to prevent a thief from simply unscrewing the cable from your TV.
- Lock the cable loops ends together with a padlock, securing the TV to the wall mount.
Thieves also shouldn't be able to remove the wall mount since, to get to the screws that hold it to the wall, the thief would need to remove the TV first.
An alternative to the anti-theft security kit is a locking wall mount. The idea is the same: the wall mount comes with a locking mechanism that requires a key to remove the TV from the mount.
Of course, neither of these options are 100% burglar-proof (is anything?). However, they will likely stop most opportunistic burglars.
Place an asset protection device on the television
Asset protection devices are small electronics that attach to your valuables and trigger your security alarm the protected item is moved.
When attached to your television, they have 2 main benefits:
- It helps your monitoring station (and you) know the alarm isn't just a false alarm. It confirms that someone has broken into your home. This can lead to faster response times by authorities.
- It protects the TV from someone who already has access to your home (like a housekeeper, pet sitter, etc.).
And do this just in case…
No matter what you do, there's still a chance a burglar may run away with your television (or other valuable). So be prepared.
One way to do that is to register all your valuables in "Report It". Report It is a free website that lets you easily catalog information about your valuables.
Then, in the event of a burglary, you can quickly provide the police and your insurance company with pictures, serial numbers or receipts of everything that was taken!
