HERE'S ONE WAY TO KEEP YOUR VALUABLES SAFE

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, March 14, 1993                   TAG: 9303150597
SECTION: HOMES                    PAGE: B-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: New York Daily News
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium
HERE'S ONE WAY TO KEEP YOUR VALUABLES SAFE
Every 10 seconds there's a burglary somewhere in this country, according to the FBI. In New York City alone, 68,484 burglaries were reported during the first eight months of last year.
And who's most likely to return home and find it ransacked? Members of two-wage-earning households, reports Joe Mele, assistant professor at the National Crime Prevention Institute.
"They're the preferred targets because there's no one home to interfere during the day and, where there are two wage earners, there are usually better goodies to steal," says Mele.
"If you have a lot of valuables to protect, put them in a safety deposit box or, if you keep them at home, buy a UL-rated burglar-resistant safe," Mele advises.
A lot of people are following Mele's advice. Sales of residential safes have climbed significantly in the past year, retailers report.
Safes come in a variety of sizes and offer varying degrees of protection from fire or burglary. Some larger, more expensive models offer safeguards against both.
"If you have $1,000 worth of jewelry to protect, you don't want to spend $800 to do it," says David Garbar, general manager of Acme Safe.
Assess your needs, he says. "Are you most worried about a burglary when you're away from home? Then you need something strong that resists opening on the spot. It should weigh at least 500 pounds or be anchored to the floor so it can't be carted away and opened later," says Garbar.
Some people are more concerned with privacy from a housekeeper or contractors working in their home. They can use a safe that is not easily pried open, Garbar notes.
"Customers often don't realize that a `fireproof' unit with a combination lock doesn't offer burglary protection as well," notes Richard Krasilovsky, president of Empire Safe Co. "Although `fireproof' units have impressively thick doors and walls, they are usually made of light-gauge steel that's a piece of cake to a burglar," he continues. "A thief can open one with ordinary hand tools in five to 10 minutes.
"In a New York City apartment, the need for fire protection is minimal, it's burglary protection you really need," Krasilovsky asserts.
Burglar-resistant safes are generally constructed of high-density steel, concrete or high-density alloys. If you want fire protection as well, look for a combination of steel and concrete.
The most popular safes for apartments are burglar-resistant, free-standing models with 1 to 3 cubic feet of interior capacity.
The exterior dimensions are usually just a few inches more in height and width than the cubic dimension. Fire protection adds several more inches to the dimensions.
"If fire protection is a concern, a safe UL-rated for two-hour fire protection meets most residential needs," says Krasilovsky.
Most safes sit in a closet, anchored to the floor, he adds. In-floor safes, which are set into concrete, are rarely used in residences because there is not enough depth for installation.
You can get a good theft-resistant safe, with a cubic foot of interior storage, for about $350, or spend $1,000 or more for higher levels of security.
If you're worried about a breach in security, or you've moved into a home that already has a safe, have the combination changed, suggests Police Officer Merri Pearsall, a New York City crime prevention specialist.
Some consumers find safes with digital combination locks more convenient than traditional models. However, from a security standpoint, experts note no significant difference.
Finally, when choosing a safe, think of future needs as well. A good safe lasts a lifetime, so choose one large enough for your future needs.

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB