Your belongings should stay that way, and if they do get into the hands of somebody else you should follow some simple steps to increase the chances of you getting them back. To start with you should make an inventory of your belongings. Just go through every room in your house and make a list of all the things you own, (this does not mean underwear and socks!) things like jewellery and antiques, tv, video player, stereo, dvd player etc. If this is done at least if something happens like a robbery or fire you have a list to give to the appropriate parties (eg. insurance or police). In your list write down details such as model and serial number.

Another good thing to do is to mark your belongings. This can be done either with an engraver or texta of some sort. Engraver is the best method. Some police stations even allow the service of the use of and invisible sort of pen that's ink can only be viewed under ultraviolet lights. Both of these methods are good for identifying your property if they were stolen and then recovered in some way or another.

Safes or lockable boxes can stop things like jewellery and money being stolen also. There are a wide range of safes and such for home use. And last but not least, if you really want to deter people from stealing your valuables an alarm is a good bet. These also come in a wide variety and can suit almost any budget.