AIBU to be looking into lockable bedroom furniture? (second time we've been stolen from in 6 months; cleaner/nanny)

[Melanienm]

I'm feeling pretty gung-ho this morning (and extremely hacked off) as for the second time in 6 months we've been stolen from my someone we invited into our home... Came home last night and discovered that our lovely nanny's laptop was missing then on close inspection of our bedroom found that we're missing another MacBook pro, my husband's watches, his passport, some foreign currency (hardly anything - maybe $50USD and $50AUD), a few of my necklaces (nothing really expensive - but sentimental value and has upset me a lot)...
Unfortunately, the only thing we can think is that it was our cleaner who was in our home for 3 hours yesterday, although she's always seemed lovely and we pay her well and gave her a bonus at Christmas. But no forced entry, our dog home all day, what else could have happened?
This is on top of a nanny who I finally worked out was taking small things from our room 6 months ago and we let her go (really bizarrely she kept taking Chanel lipsticks one at a time, I had 6 as I like to treat myself on occasion with expensive make up) - I only cottoned when I replaced one and then 2 weeks later it was gone again and was down to 0 and realised I was missing other cosmetics, perfumes, etc. WHY???
Anyway... to cut my rant shorter... I'm now fantasising about lockable bedroom furniture. The insurance company won't cover us for contents as the cleaner was invited in and hubby's watches only insured when they're on his wrist or in the safe - same with MacBook. But how realistic is it to take every single thing of value downstairs and lock it in the safe every night and then get out again in the morning?
BUT, if we had a nice looking chest of drawers that could be locked we could do that.
Does anyone do this?
I can honestly say I'm not the most ahem organised with my personal belongings, all make up is in a drawer or on my dressing table, same with jewellery that I wear often.
I'm honestly wondering how others handle this?
Is there a spate of this kind of theft happening and I'm just really naiive?
thanks

[YelloDraw]

Well, if you really think it was the cleaner then call the police.

[Melanienm]

Of course - Police were called immediately and sat with us for an hour last night going over everything but they don't seem hopeful as we have no CCTV (does anyone??) and the cleaner's prints would understandably be everywhere anyway.

[molyholy]

Why is she still cleaning for you?

[Ditsyprint40]

Don't know about lockable furniture OP, but j would absolutely call police too. That is appalling!!

[Ditsyprint40]

Sorry cross post - that's a bit disappointing. Can they search her house? Not really sure how it works..

[daddyorchipsdaddyorchips]

If you're certain it's her, call the police.

[TSSDNCOP]

I agree. Why on earth wouldn't you call the police? It's their job to investigate a crime and detect a perpetrator.

[LewisAndClark]

My sister bought a new build house a few months ago and had tradesmen in and out snagging while she was at work. One of them stole her diamond earrings out of her drawer.


She has no way of knowing who so the police can't do anything. It's horrendous.

[Melanienm]

The thing is, the police were quite honest with us, there really doesn't seem much they can do when it is cleaner/nanny stealing - unless you have concrete evidence (like filming them doing it).
That's why I'm looking into options to be more secure.
Sure, we could decide not to have a cleaner and I would spend as much time as I can with our daughter, work full-time and then clean from maybe 11-12pm while also answering emails from the US.
Please don't say that's only solution - I find having a cleaner (and we always pay them above going rate and treat them well) is an absolute `God send!

[SuburbanRhonda]

What would a cleaner want with your husband's passport?

[LockedOutOfMN]

Can you get a security camera?

[SuburbanRhonda]

Sure, we could decide not to have a cleaner and I would spend as much time as I can with our daughter, work full-time and then clean from maybe 11-12pm while also answering emails from the US.

Or you could get a new cleaner

[Melanienm]

LewisAndClark - that's awful, I'm so sorry! It's so violating.

Molyholy - of course she's not still cleaning for us! This hapenned 12 hours ago. Still waiting for cleaning agency to even acknowledge my calls but Police said they will deal direct with agency.

I'm honestly interested in how other's secure their things - are we just really stupid to think we don't need a safe on each side of the bed and to lock away everything (make up, clothes, etc.)???!

[DiggersRest]

Ffs people, the OP didn't ask should l call the police

Not me OP but grandmother was broken into and felt it was someone who knew her as they knew what jewellery to take. She bought a little safe for her most valuable / sentimental stuff that at least gave her peace of mind.

[NicknameUsed]

Get a safe.
We keep important documents and jewellery in our safe.

[nancy75]

Have a room the cleaner doesn't go on, get a lock on the door and keep all valuables in that room.
It sounds a bit odd that your cleaner would take so much stuff all at once. If it isn't proven to be the cleaner how can the insurance refuse to pay out? It could have been someone else that you didn't give keys to?

[Melanienm]

Thanks SuburbanRhonda - I really want to get a new cleaner but I don't want to go through this again so am wondering how to avoid the CHANCE of it happening.
We go through reputable agencies and they supposedly do checks so we're not being complete cowboys about it.
But when it happens repeatedly you can't help but get a bit tired of it!

[OliveBranchCollins]

ID theft or to sell it on

[Finola1step]

Are you absolutely sure that yourselves or the cleaner didn't leave a back door, patio door, largish window open? It is not unheard of for someone to slip in through the garden, into house, slip upstairs then back down and out through the front door.

Don't be too quick to.blame the cleaner. This could well have been a burglary while the cleaner was in the house, cleaning.

If it was the cleaner, don't you think s/he would have attempted to make it look like a burglary? Maybe smash a window or two.

[ohfourfoxache]

Passports are pretty valuable Rhonda - if you know the right (or wrong) people

[Chippednailvarnishing]

You'd be better getting someone that is personally recommended than an agency, probably cheaper too.

[SuburbanRhonda]

OP, you don't necessarily need to lock everything away but it sounds like you could do with being tidier and more organised with your makeup and jewellery.

[Melanienm]

nancy75 - we don't have the luxury of having a spare room that we can lock... and I feel a bit the same way as using a safe for everything, all the time... super valuables that we don't use daily are in there.

Oh and as I've delightfully found out this morning insurers won't cover you for theft/loss unless there is a break in (builders, carers, cleaners, etc.)
The only coverer that does is Aviva - so they are looking pretty good right now!

[Finola1step]

Oh and yes to a safe. For all important docs such as passports, expensive jewellery, private correspondence that you wouldn't want people nosing through. Also useful for locking everyday valuables away when going on holiday.

[CodyKing]

I'm sure a locksmith or carpenter could add locks to a wardrobe or drawer - it's not difficult depends on what you have already