If you had to choose one room of your house in which to keep your most prized belongings, which would it be? If you didn’t say the kitchen, think again. Former burglar Walter T. Shaw says the kitchen is the last place a thief will look for valuables, because they are typically in the middle of the house and going into them takes too much time (“We wanted to be in and out quickly,” Shaw told MSN Money.) Check out these other tips from Shaw on deterring thieves from your home and avoiding that Minnesota homeowners insurance claim for theft.

(Image courtesy of tlsg.net.)

Don’t tell everyone you’re leaving. When you’re going on vacation, keep the information to yourself as much as possible. Shaw said thieves have informants everywhere, and hearing that you’re about to go out of town is like Christmas to them.

Advertise your protection. Sticking an alarm decal in the window can make a thief think twice about entering the house. Don’t forget to put one in the back window—thieves typically case the rear of the house.

Let your dog bark. Barking dogs deter thieves, there’s no doubt about it. You don’t even need a big dog—Shaw told MSN Money that yappy little dogs are the biggest deterrent because they make so much noise.

Get rid of the evidence. Thieves can go through your trash to determine what you have of worth in your home. If you have an expensive purchase delivered to your home, ask the company that brings it to haul everything away because evidence of new purchases can tip crooks off that you have valuables in your home.

Remember the easy things. Lock your doors and windows. Don’t let mail and newspapers pile up when you’re on vacation.

Protect yourself, your valuables and your Minnesota homeowners insurance by educating yourself about home safety. Deterring thieves takes some forethought, but you’ll thank yourself when the burglars pass up your home!