Security in Apartments

We will be in Paris next summer, and have rented an apartment in the 7th for two weeks. What are your suggestions for securing our valuables (laptop, etc) while we are not in the apartment, as it does not have a safe. Also of concern is our passports, which we really do not want to carry around with us.

Thanks for any advice you may have.

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Nearly all apartment buildings require a code to enter the building, then a key to get from the foyer into the building, then sophisticated door locks for the apartment.

Though our apartment in the 7th had a safe, we were advised, just as a precaution, not to leave any valuables in plain sight and make sure the drapes were pulled and that the windows were closed and locked whenever we were out, but only because our apartment had a balcony, and though not a common occurence, not unheard of for thieves to enter via windows.

The 7th is a very safe neighborhood. We were never concerned about a break-in.

There are plenty of places to hide a passport. Unless a thief knows the neighborhood well, they wouldn%26#39;t know a rental from a permanent residence, and they%26#39;re not likely looking break and enter and search around to steal passports.

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But I assume your would be the only tenants in this apartment, am I wrong ? If so, you just have to lock the door when you leave ; you are in Paris, so don%26#39;t worry about steeling, especially in the 7th district which is a very safe - maybe too much actually - area.

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Well, the 7th and the 16th have the highest summer burglary statistics in the city of Paris, due to the large number of empty luxury apartments during the summer months when the owners are traipsing around the world.

There is absolutely no tip that can be given other than keeping the windows and doors as securely locked as possible. Obviously, if you put your laptop under the cleaning supplies in the rag cupboard every time you go out, this will reduce the chance of it being stolen, but that gets to be rather tedious after awhile.

Better to rent an apartment in a less affluent neighborhood where the building stays full of people all year.

The main thing to know about burglaries is that the top floor and the ground floor are the most likely to be burglarized.

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We%26#39;ve stayed in an apartment in the 7th since 2004 with ParisPerfect, with two dozen or so properties in the neighborhood and no reports of burglaries.

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we have rented apartments 25 times and had one burglary -- iin London and the owner had not used the double lock deadbolt but only the simple lock when she left after cleaning the apartment (my son had dropped luggage while she was there)

the whole building was burgled -- the secure door would have prevented this apartment from being entered if the double lock had been thrown -- they took camera but not passport

we usually hide the passports and stow the laptop out of sight when leaving the apartment and hope for the best. -- we have photos backed up every few days -- and have copies of passports in case of disaster.

we always rent in locked keypad buildings -- and most apartments have fairly secure locks -- be sure to double turn and throw the deadbolt -- those are not jimmiable -- while it is not risk free, just as your own home is not risk free, I don%26#39;t think it is a high risk

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%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;We%26#39;ve stayed in an apartment in the 7th since 2004 with ParisPerfect, with two dozen or so properties in the neighborhood and no reports of burglaries.%26lt;%26lt;%26lt;

Nevertheless phread, who lives in the 7th, will tell you exactly what kerouac did, that the 7th is one of the areas of Paris with the highest incidence of burglaries. Best advice is to do as suggested. make sure your apartment is secured and leave any valuables, passports, plane tickets or other things you are concerned about concealed if you think that necessary. If you do, be sure to conceal them somewhere a casual thief would not be likely to look.

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Thieves are generally not interested in passports: there is no market for today%26#39;s tamper-proof models. They want things that are small, valuable, and easy to sell.

So put your laptop and any other valuables out of sight, and make sure your doors and windows are locked.

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Thank you all for your %26quot;common sense%26quot; replies. I%26#39;m such a worry-wart sometimes!

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If are really concerned, I suggest a cable lock for your laptop and a pacsafe safe or lockable toiletries bag. www.pacsafe.com/www/index.php… or www.pacsafe.com/www/index.php…

You can lock them to the bathroom drainpipe or some other fixture.