If I Were a Thief…

I recently read about a bank heist in Germany where thieves made off with the contents of numerous safe deposit boxes. The audacity of it got me thinking about a different scenario entirely. What if you knew a major SHTF event was imminent (say, an EMP strike or massive solar flare) when most people didn’t realize it yet? Where would the best place be to gather the most critical/useful survival supplies?

Let me be absolutely clear: I do not condone theft for any reason. This is purely a thought experiment about survival value and priorities. As I like to say, the best approach is to prepare now, legally and responsibly, so you never face such desperate choices. But as a mental exercise, it’s worth considering what items and locations offer the most survival value when civilization breaks down.

Note: These are in no particular order.

1. Pharmacy: Liquid Gold?

If I had to choose one location with the highest survival value, it could easily be a pharmacy. The reason is simple: antibiotics and critical medications could literally be worth their weight in gold when SHTF.

Think about it. A simple infection that would be minor today could be life-threatening without antibiotics. I’ve posted before about 20 common ailments requiring antibiotics, from urinary tract infections to pneumonia to infected wounds. Any of these could kill you in a grid-down scenario. Having a stockpile of amoxicillin, azithromycin, or ciprofloxacin means you can treat conditions that might otherwise be fatal.

Beyond antibiotics, pharmacies stock pain medications (critical for injuries or dental emergencies and whatnot), insulin and other chronic disease medications, first aid supplies, antibiotic ointments, and over-the-counter remedies galore. Even though I’m not a fan, these items would have immense barter value at a minimum. After all, someone with a raging tooth infection would trade almost anything for the right antibiotic! (Ask me how I know.)

Of course, there are hundreds of Rx medications that I know nothing about. So, if I had to be picky about what I grabbed, I would be there a while. But if you could grab it all, why not…somebody is going to need it. Granted, I can’t imagine these medications will be viable for years to come, so you’d have to act fast if you intend on bartering. That said, I believe most shelf-stable pills will be viable for quite some time if stored properly.

2. Grocery Store: An Obvious Target for a Reason?

Grocery stores would be the first places stripped bare in any crisis. Everyone knows they need food and water, so the competition would be fierce and immediate.

The value here is straightforward: canned goods, dried foods, rice, beans, pasta, cooking oils, salt, sugar, and bottled water. These are the basics of survival. A well-stocked pantry means you can ride out the initial chaos while others are still scrambling.

The problem is that grocery stores would be hit hard and fast. You’d be competing with hundreds or thousands of other people who had the same idea. The window of opportunity would be measured in minutes, not hours. (If you’re interested in long-term food storage done right, I cover strategies in my prepper food storage book.)

Still, if you could get in early with a plan (knowing exactly which aisles to hit), you could secure months of calories for your family with relative ease. Still, I wouldn’t want to be fighting my neighbors for the last can of beans. My advice is to act now.

3. Gas Station: Huge Asset, Long-Term Headache

Let’s assume you somehow had the ability to transport hundreds of gallons of fuel. The first question is: gasoline or diesel?

Diesel should win in this competition because it lasts longer than gasoline (one to two years versus six to twelve months), and diesel engines are more versatile for generators and heavy equipment. Gasoline degrades much faster, even with fuel stabilizers.

Still, I would opt for gasoline because most equipment and vehicles use it. But, if you owned a generator or truck, for instance, that uses diesel, then go for that.

But here’s the reality: fuel is a rapidly depreciating asset. Even with the best stabilizers, you’re looking at a year or two before it becomes unreliable. In a true long-term SHTF scenario, hundreds of gallons of fuel gives you a relatively brief advantage for running generators, vehicles, or chainsaws, but it’s not a solution that lasts for years to come.

You’d need to use it strategically in the early months for critical tasks like pumping water, running generators or chainsaws, and for mobility. But then you might also become a target if your generator or chainsaw is the only human-derived noise for miles around.

Fuel is certainly valuable, and I absolutely recommend having some stored. But I can’t see how hundreds of gallons would be among the most useful supplies. Plus, there’s a potential problem of storing so much fuel. I have seen people suggest storing it in 30- or 55-gallon water drums, as an example, but I’ve never tried it.

4. Gun Shop: Yes, Please!

A gun shop offers a plethora of weapons and an abundance of ammunition, both of which have obvious survival value for self-defense and hunting. In a SHTF breakdown scenario, the ability to protect yourself and your supplies becomes paramount. We all know that.

The issue is that gun shops would likely be defended quickly, either by owners or by others who quickly recognize their value too. Thus, these aren’t soft targets. You’d face resistance, and the risk would be extremely high.

But let’s say there were no resistance. You could take what you wanted. Ammunition would clearly have tremendous barter value, though some folks suggest never bartering anything that can be used against you, and I tend to agree. Besides, ammo lasts virtually forever if stored properly, and it never goes out of style.

Guns less so, since most people who want them already have them. Granted, there’s rarely any harm in having more firearms than less, especially if you intend on arming allies, family, or friends.

5. Bank Safe Deposit Boxes: Questionable Value

The Germany heist, as stated above, involved safe deposit boxes, which typically contain jewelry, precious metals, important documents, cash, and presumably other useful items. But how valuable are these items in a SHTF scenario?

Cash may become worthless quickly when the financial system collapses, but there are other SHTF scenarios, so it might not become useless instantly. Documents, however, probably mean nothing, unless the are something interesting like bearer bonds AND society recovers. Jewelry is difficult to barter with because stolen pieces are often traceable and marked, and it’s difficult for me to see who would really want grandma’s necklace when most people are worried about their own safety and where their next meal is coming from.

Gold and silver coins or bars, on the other hand, have more potential value, but only if you can find someone willing to trade tangible goods for precious metals. And that’s the rub, isn’t it? In the aftermath of a crisis, people want food, water, medicine, and ammunition…not shiny metal. Personally, I wouldn’t turn down gold and silver, but I honestly don’t believe it’s the “be all, end all” that many preppers says it is.

Clearly, safe deposit boxes might yield some useful items, but compared to other options, the survival value is minimal. You can’t eat gold, and it won’t save you from an infection.

6. Hardware Stores: Better Than You Think?

Hardware stores are massively underrated for their survival value. The sheer variety of tools and supplies available makes them goldmines for anyone thinking beyond the first few weeks.

Hand tools (hammers, saws, drills, wrenches) let you repair, build, and maintain shelter and equipment. Power tools and generators provide the ability to work efficiently while fuel lasts. Fasteners, nails, screws, bolts, and hardware are essential for any construction or repair project. Lumber and building materials allow you to fortify defenses or construct new structures. (FYI, I wrote about the best tools for survival scenario, if interested.)

Think about defending your home as one example. You need plywood for boarding windows, locks and hasps for securing doors, fencing materials for perimeter security, and tools to install it all. Hardware stores have everything you need to turn your home into a fortress! Well, sort of.

Generators are particularly valuable in the early stages of a crisis, allowing you to run essential equipment, preserve food, or power communication devices (assuming they still work) and whatever else you might need, like running air conditioners or refrigerators.

Honestly, the combination of tools, hardware, and building supplies makes these stores incredibly useful for long-term survival and rebuilding. But I’d need a few U-Haul trucks to drag it all home, lol.

7. Farm Supply Stores: Bulk Everything!?

Farm supply stores might be the most overlooked option on this list, but they offer incredible value for multiple reasons.

First, many stockpile veterinary antibiotics. Fish antibiotics (which are chemically identical to human antibiotics) are often available at farm stores. You get the same life-saving medications as a pharmacy without the locked cabinets or metal gates. That said, the FDA recommends against using fish antibiotics for human needs, so you’ll have to decide whether they’re worth the risk.

Second, assorted seeds means growing your own food. Farm stores stock bulk seeds for vegetables, grains, and other crops. This is food production for years, not just months. And if SHTF, then years is the time frame to consider.

Third, they often have bulk supplies of all kinds. We’re talking 50-pound bags of feed, fertilizer, salt blocks, and grains. Some animal feed like corn and oats (if de-hulled) can be consumed by humans if absolutely needed. It’s not gourmet, but it’s calories. That said, some food won’t have the same cleanliness standards, and may even be infested with pests like weevils and moths. So, it’s not ideal by any stretch. Still, this food could be invaluable barter items for local farmers and growers.

Fourth, water storage will be critical to almost everything. Farm stores often sell large tanks and troughs designed to hold hundreds of gallons of water. In a SHTF scenario, water storage will be, like pharmaceuticals, worth their weight in gold.

Fifth, they often sell canning and preserving supplies, including pressure canners, jars, lids, and everything you need to preserve food for the long haul. But, this might depend on the farm store.

Sixth, they often have a wide variety of outdoor and gardening tools and related supplies. My local farm store, for instance, has a wide variety of “unusual” items that even hardware stores don’t sell. But, then, you’d need to know what you’re looking for, so this benefit might not be all that useful.

Regardless, farm supply stores cater to people who think in terms of bulk, seasons, and self-sufficiency. The supplies found there align perfectly with long-term survival needs.

The Top Three

If I had to narrow this list down to the three most valuable locations, here’s what I’d choose:

1. Pharmacy – Life-saving medications and antibiotics have unmatched value for health and barter.
2. Farm Supply Store – Bulk supplies, seeds, veterinary antibiotics, and water storage cover both immediate and long-term needs.
3. Hardware Store – Tools and materials for repairs, defense, and rebuilding provide lasting utility.

These three locations offer the best combination of immediate survival value and long-term sustainability.

Yeah, I know I didn’t add gun shops to the list, and maybe I should have. But where’s the fun in stating the obvious? 🙂

Other Places Worth Considering

Beyond these seven, there are other locations that might be worth a look if you had little time. Warehouse stores like Costco or Sam’s Club offer bulk food and supplies in one convenient location. Distribution centers and warehouses hold massive quantities of goods before they ever reach retail stores. Convenience stores are easy targets for quick grabs of food, water, and basic supplies.

And here’s an interesting thought: Amish communities. They possess low-tech skills, tools, and supplies that would be invaluable in a grid-down world. Hand-powered equipment, preserved foods, livestock, and knowledge that doesn’t depend on electricity. Obviously, I’m not suggesting raiding peaceful communities, but it highlights the value of low-tech solutions in a high-tech society.

Better yet? Make friends with people who already live the life you may be living soon!

The Bottom Line

Remember that this entire exercise is theoretical. I don’t condone theft under any circumstances. The real lesson here is that preparation now beats desperation later.

If you stock your own “pharmacy,” build your own food storage, collect useful tools, and learn skills before disaster strikes, you’ll never face the choice of where or what to loot when SHTF because you’ll already have what you need.

But as a thought experiment, it’s clear that some locations offer far more survival value than others. Medications, tools, and bulk supplies provide long-term utility that will almost surely be useful. Fuel and safe deposit boxes offer short-term or questionable value at best. Gun stores and grocery stores, albeit it clearly useful, could be the most dangerous places of them all because that’s where everyone else will be.

Prepare now, legally and responsibly, so this stays a thought experiment and nothing more.

Thoughts?