- People are hiding their most prized possessions in shoeboxes and even under their beds
- Prize possessions range from whiskey collections and childhood teddy bears to wartime diaries
- Metro Bank offers Safe Deposit Boxes in each of its 77 stores for customers to rent, offering proper security for prized possessions
New research from Metro Bank, conducted by YouGov1, has revealed the extent to which people worry about their personal belongings.
As Christmas is fast approaching and police warn the public not to put their presents out for others to see, it’s no surprise that a quarter of British adults that say they have a prized possession – around 8 million people – are worried about losing their possessions as a result of theft.2
With the Government’s Christmas guidelines in place, it is expected many people may be away from home, visiting or staying with family between 23 and 27 December. So its important Brits take extra care to avoid becoming a target for home burglaries.
Alongside the one in four people who are worried about theft, more than three in 10 (31%) are worried about losing their prized possessions in a fire and nearly one in seven (15%) worry about their items being destroyed by water damage.
What precious items are people hiding?
When asked to choose their most prized possession from a list in the survey, there was much variety in the responses received. The most popular prized possession – named by almost one in ten (9%) – was a photo album, with wedding or engagement rings (8%) closely following behind.
When asked if there was anything else they see as a prized possession, some of the more surprising items include:
- Prized whiskey collections
- Items for practising witchcraft
- Childhood teddy bears
- Wartime diaries
- Fishing rods
- Vintage Star Wars collectibles
Where are Brits keeping their prized possessions?
More than a fifth of (22%) keep their cherished item in a drawer or filing cabinet and almost one in 10 (8%) keep their special belonging in the garage, loft and even in the shed. A small percentage of the country admitted that they keep their most treasured item under the bed (2%) or in a shoebox (2%). 38% of people say they only use their most prize possession once every six months or less.
Metro Bank offers Safe Deposit Boxes in a range of sizes starting from just £20 a month3. The boxes are available in each of the bank’s 77 stores, with the majority open seven days a week and giving customers unlimited access to their Safe Deposit Boxes. These are available long term or short term and provide proper security for people’s most prized possessions, whether that be jewellery, a stamp collection or confidential documents.
Jeremy Lawrey, Head of Retail Accounts and Partnerships, says: “As Christmas approaches, many of us will worry about the safety of our belongings. Whether your most cherished possession is an old family heirloom, a special piece of jewellery or even a passport or house deeds, our Safe Deposit Boxes enable you to safely store your belongings in a secure environment.”
Metro Bank stores are open seven days a week4, early until late, and are renowned for their family and pet-friendly approach. Unlike many other banks, the majority of Metro Bank stores will remain open on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. For a full list of Metro Bank’s festive opening hours please visit: https://www.metrobankonline.co.uk/
All Metro Bank stores are operating alongside social distancing guidelines, with a number of health and safety measures in place to keep customers and colleagues safe.
Notes to Editors
1 All research figures are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2,043 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 3– 15 November 2020. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).
2 Research figure from YouGov Plc. UK mid-year estimates from 2018-2019 for adults 18+ population in Great Britain is 50,940,708. From the sample size of 2,043, when asked if the individuals had a prized possession, 1,344 said they did. A quarter (25%) of the adults with a prized possession were worried about losing their possessions as a result of theft.
3More information is available on our website: https://www.metrobankonline.co.uk/safe-deposit-boxes/
4Some store opening times have been temporarily reduced during the pandemic. For a full list of Metro Bank stores see: https://www.metrobankonline.co.uk/store-locator/.