In terms of residential security, 2017 appeared to be the year of the celebrity break-in, with a whole host of famous faces falling afoul to this trend. We ask just who was robbed, how much was taken and how we as individuals can learn from their residential security mistakes and better protect our homes.
Who was robbed?
Nicki Minaj
In the end of January 2017, Nicki Minaj’s Los Angeles mansion was totally wrecked and the superstar singer was robbed of $200,000 in jewels and valuables.
Dejan Lovren
Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren was playing a Champion’s League game against NK Maribor when CCTV captured images of a group of men attempting to break into his home. The footage showed one man smashing a glass door, whilst a further two looked on. Luckily, in this instance, the thieves fled the scene, but this proves how thieves can use information on when celebrities will be out of the house to determine the perfect time to strike.
Alanis Morissette
The biggest loss of 2017 was that of 90s superstar Alanis Morissette, who lost a whopping $2 million in jewels when thieves broke into her Brentwood home.
How can we learn from their mistakes?
Be Aware of Social Media
As shown in the case of Dejan Lovren, the biggest risk for celebrities when it comes to residential security is the sheer extent to which they remain in the public eye. Thieves know when big events are taking place, such as the Brit Awards or the BAFTAs and, because they know which celebrities will be in attendance, they know exactly which homes to target and when.
Nowadays, however, this is not just a risk faced by the rich and famous. Thanks to social media, the general public now advertise their whereabouts just as frequently. This means that anyone can ascertain who is home, who is out for dinner, and who is on holiday for the next ten days. In the interest of residential security and peace of mind, it is advised never to flaunt your whereabouts on social media as this will, from a thief’s perspective, simply be flaunting an empty house. It is advised not to “check in” on Facebook and to refrain from revealing our whereabouts through what we post.
Look Into Alternative Residential Security Measures
None of the celebrity break-ins of 2017 happened as a result of a total lack of security measures. All celebrities will have their homes kitted out with cameras, alarms and so on, due to the high-value nature of their belongings. The issue, however, lies in the increasing redundancy of these residential security systems as thieves become too wise for them.
For example, an American celebrity, LA Lakers player Nick Young, was also broken into in 2017. He kept all his valuables in a safe, and so what did the thieves do? They made off with the entire safe and were able to break into it once they had safely fled the scene and had much more time in which to do so.
The answer? SmokeCloak. All of the celebrity break-ins of 2017 could have been stopped had these celebrities have invested in a SmokeCloak residential security system. With SmokeCloak, if a thief does successfully break into your home, the premises are instantly cloaked with a cloud of impenetrable fog. The fog is harmless, but makes it impossible to see, meaning that the thieves cannot see to take anything and are forced to flee.
When you think that the simple installation of a SmokeCloak could have saved Alanis Morissette $2 million, it definitely makes sense.
To get a quote for a SmokeCloak installation in your home, or to find out more about how we can increase your residential security, please do not hesitate to contact us on 01604 839000, or fill out our contact form.
Who was robbed?
Nicki Minaj
In the end of January 2017, Nicki Minaj’s Los Angeles mansion was totally wrecked and the superstar singer was robbed of $200,000 in jewels and valuables.
Dejan Lovren
Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren was playing a Champion’s League game against NK Maribor when CCTV captured images of a group of men attempting to break into his home. The footage showed one man smashing a glass door, whilst a further two looked on. Luckily, in this instance, the thieves fled the scene, but this proves how thieves can use information on when celebrities will be out of the house to determine the perfect time to strike.
Alanis Morissette
The biggest loss of 2017 was that of 90s superstar Alanis Morissette, who lost a whopping $2 million in jewels when thieves broke into her Brentwood home.
How can we learn from their mistakes?
Be Aware of Social Media
As shown in the case of Dejan Lovren, the biggest risk for celebrities when it comes to residential security is the sheer extent to which they remain in the public eye. Thieves know when big events are taking place, such as the Brit Awards or the BAFTAs and, because they know which celebrities will be in attendance, they know exactly which homes to target and when.
Nowadays, however, this is not just a risk faced by the rich and famous. Thanks to social media, the general public now advertise their whereabouts just as frequently. This means that anyone can ascertain who is home, who is out for dinner, and who is on holiday for the next ten days. In the interest of residential security and peace of mind, it is advised never to flaunt your whereabouts on social media as this will, from a thief’s perspective, simply be flaunting an empty house. It is advised not to “check in” on Facebook and to refrain from revealing our whereabouts through what we post.
Look Into Alternative Residential Security Measures
None of the celebrity break-ins of 2017 happened as a result of a total lack of security measures. All celebrities will have their homes kitted out with cameras, alarms and so on, due to the high-value nature of their belongings. The issue, however, lies in the increasing redundancy of these residential security systems as thieves become too wise for them.
For example, an American celebrity, LA Lakers player Nick Young, was also broken into in 2017. He kept all his valuables in a safe, and so what did the thieves do? They made off with the entire safe and were able to break into it once they had safely fled the scene and had much more time in which to do so.
The answer? SmokeCloak. All of the celebrity break-ins of 2017 could have been stopped had these celebrities have invested in a SmokeCloak residential security system. With SmokeCloak, if a thief does successfully break into your home, the premises are instantly cloaked with a cloud of impenetrable fog. The fog is harmless, but makes it impossible to see, meaning that the thieves cannot see to take anything and are forced to flee.
When you think that the simple installation of a SmokeCloak could have saved Alanis Morissette $2 million, it definitely makes sense.
To get a quote for a SmokeCloak installation in your home, or to find out more about how we can increase your residential security, please do not hesitate to contact us on 01604 839000, or fill out our contact form.