Watch Your Belongings To Keep Them Safe

In my live presentations, I’m always reminding people to watch their belongings.  “Watch your belongings,” I say. Watch your purse! Watch your bags at the airport and when traveling! Watch your stuff! It seems simple, and it is, but I’m always seeing people who don’t watch their belongings. Targets of opportunity are everywhere for the opportunistic thief.

Inevitably, someone will say something like, “that’s just common sense.” I usually reply that common sense is not commonly practiced. When I’m speaking in Montana about watching belongings or locking doors, I often get the, “but we’re in Montana.” or “even here in Montana?” Yes, even in Montana. I just recently had a friend who had her purse stolen from her car while she was returning the cart after putting her purse and groceries in the vehicle. That fast and the purse was gone. She lost some important belongings. Unfortunately, I now I a good story to illustrate my point that you need to practice safety habits everywhere, even in Montana.

I went to the mall today with my family, and stopped in Now Care to get a blood pressure reading. As I sat and waited for the nurse, I noticed a purse sitting on the end table near me. It obviously didn’t belong to the man and woman who just came in with their son, nor did it belong to the woman sitting across the room with her daughter who had burnt her fingers.

I could have easily looked through it and all of the cash and any valuables could have been mine. I could have taken the entire purse and just walked out and I’d bet you no one would have even noticed. Instead, I took the picture above and when the nurse called me, I pointed at the purse and told her it was left there unattended and it wasn’t safe.

She took the purse and was able to find the owner in the back with the doctor. All ended well tonight because I was the one who noticed the purse. Do you think there are people who go to the mall, and who visit Now Care, that wouldn’t be honest? And it doesn’t have to be people purposefully looking to rob someone, but someone who would take advantage of finding a purse left alone in an environment that you could easily get away with taking the valuables from it. I wish I could have spoken to her and told her, “Watch your belongings. There are people out there who will take them.”

Sure, stuff is not as important as you. I’m always going to advise letting someone take your stuff if the alternative is you getting hurt or killed. But many times the reason things are taken is because they weren’t locked up or watched. Simple procedures and habits can keep your stuff safe.

So one more time, Watch Your Belongings To Keep Them Safe!