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

3 options - get rid of the cleaner (who may be innocent); get (as you say, lockable furniture - if the cleaner isn't pinching stuff she will never know anyway, as she would have no reason to go into drawers; lock your bedroom door/nanny's doors, and clean those rooms yourself (they surely can't get that bad)

The question about were the locks changed every time there was a change in cleaner or nanny is a good one as the OP is self confessed disorganised. Odds are if they weren't then prosecution is unlikely as it's entirely possible the theft could be anyone with access to other sets of keys in the past. Workmen, nanny, cleaner, house sitter etc.

"it sounds like you could do with being tidier and more organised with your makeup and jewellery."

WTAF? So this is OP's fault now is it? Utterly ridiculous!

For a practical piece of lockable furniture my mum has one of these:

www.sellingantiques.co.uk/414995/antique-victorian-wellington-chest-of-drawers-mahogany-19th-c/

It's a nice thing to look at too.

Did you inquisitive neighbour not notice your cleaner leaving with bags if it was her (again cleaner would be aware of her watching comings and goings so it'd be stupid ). Does your lovely nanny ever invite people back ?
I think blaming the cleaner might be a bit too simplistic.

I know for certain, a theif would have to go pretty deep into my belongings to steal something like a passport. Same for jewellery. I don't keep expensive jewellery in drawers; they're packed away in cingfilm and jewellery boxes, then double bagged and are somewhere safe where I know no one will go.

I'd get a new cleaner and then put things away in a better place and get a safe for your laptops etc. You normally find lockable furniture in south East Asian countries where they have maids and house staff...you even get lockable fridges there to stop them eating your food.. lockable furniture makes me cringe for that reason.

I agree trafalgar. Especially given that the nosey neighbour might only be seeing people who are not trying to hide.

It seems like there is a history of this happening and the OP just pointing the finger at the easiest target rather than actually getting to the bottom of things means that it's continuing and the house is not secure.

The OP has said she has Banham locks, so as long as she is getting the keys back from the cleaner and nanny when they are fired, there is no way of there being extra sets of keys in circulation.

The whole point of Banham locks is that you know exactly how many sets have been cut, as well as them being much harder to pick

Yes, good idea to get lockable furniture. And possibly a lockable filing cabinet.

It might not have been the cleaner but it might have been someone she knows which is just as bad, really.

does the cleaning company have a page on one of those online review sites? You should post exactly what happened. That should at least give the cleaning company an incentive to co-operate as much as possible.

Did the nanny you fired 6 months ago for theft have a key? If so, did you change the locks?

Surely if we invite people into our homes in a position of trust, we should be able to . . . erm trust them? No matter where we leave our stuff chucked around or not locked away in a safe

Did the nanny you fired 6 months ago for theft have a key? If so, did you change the locks?

The OP has Banham locks. Which means the keys can't be copied and the Nanny won't have been able to make a spare set. So as long as the OP collected the set of keys in from the nanny, she has no need to change the locks

So far you've fired a nanny and a cleaner because you believed it was them? Yet in neither case was there any real proof what will you do if it happens a third time ?

With employing people comes moral as well as legal responsibilities.

If the OP does post on the agency's site she should be very careful, her assumptions are just that and a business could decide to sue for libel if she crosses from actual facts to assumptions and accusations.

Not to mention the better agencies eventually blackball clients who make regular unsubstantiated accusations against their people. You really need to sort this mess out OP.

WTAF? So this is OP's fault now is it? Utterly ridiculous!

It is ridiculous that you think someone who, by her own admission is disorganised, can't at least mitigate against this happening again by being better organised so she notices sooner when something goes missing.

Many posters on this thread have suggested ways the OP can organise her valuables better. It's common sense.

Home security cameras aren't too expensive these days. You can get ones that you can watch on your phone. My stepmum got a complete home security system for under £100.

She's supposed to lock her make-up away? Really?

That wasn't very helpful Joystir

Is it the OP's fault that she isn't living from food banks?

I have been burgled before and had a car stolen. It isn't nice. The car wasn't even mine, but a company car. I came out from a keep fit class in my sports gear with a thin coat on in the middle of winter to find my car gone.

couldn't really give a shit about someone stealing expensive stuff from you. Some people are living from food banks in this country

Nice . So everyone should take everything nice that they own straight to the dump or hand out keys to their home to local burglars because someone somewhere might be having to use a foodbank. Yeah. Makes sense Stupid post Joy. Very stupid post.

If your neighbour saw the cleaner leave, did she not notice her with a big bag? You can hardly put two laptops in your handbag.

I've had a cleaner for years - well, several different ones and I've never had anything stolen.

You might be better off getting a personal recommendation rather than using an agency. Surely you have friends with cleaners?

Don't necessarily trust cleaning agencies.
I was a cleaner in the past and I've worked for several agencies who promise to do police checks and verify all their cleaners and never did.
I worked for one agency and never even met any of them. They used to text me jobs and I just turned up and did the work and got paid by the client in cash. I could easily have stolen (I didn't!) and would have got away scot free as nobody even knew my address or checked me out.

I was always amazed at how trusting clients were to hand over their door keys to a perfect stranger! Luckily for them I was honest but many aren't.
Always go by personal recommendation if possible and make sure you at least see the cleaners ID!

Joystir You are a pathetic person.

OP - how utterly, utterly horrible for you. I would be getting cameras in your room and leaving some 'Valuables' hanging around. Get the f*er.

I'm a nanny of 15+ years and I've not once taken so much as a spray of perfume without permission.

Set up cameras - and tell NOBODY.