Police car by Linus Henning, on Flickr
Every year around the holidays, crime spikes as homes are left vacant while families travel and high value items purchased as gifts are likely to be found in homes in addition to jewelry and household electronics. Even though November has just started, it’s important to begin preparing your home early.
What do you need to do in addition to the things I recommended in last month’s Fall Safety Tips for Securing Your Home & Belongings? Here are 5 new tips:
- Make sure your house looks lived in even while you’re away. Put your lights on timers, leave some shoes by the back door, have a neighbor come by and bring in your mail rather than stopping delivery.
- Now is the time to get that home system you’ve been considering. If you’ve been thinking abut getting an alarm, do your research and make that call soon to ensure your alarm is installed well before you go away. We love our system from ASG that is powered by Alarm.com. For more information, read my review: Alarm.com: Smart Interactive Tech Secures Your Home.
- Leave the dog at home instead of boarding. A dog is often a theft deterrent because thieves who hear a dog on the other side of the door will move on for fear of what might greet them. Your tiny Chihuahua could be perceived as our 90 pound Yellow Labrador!
- Traveling? Invest in some TSA friendly luggage locks. My favorites are the MasterLock 4688D that come in bright colors with feature flexible cables that won’t snap. Their also versatile enough that they can be used on luggage, backpacks, briefcases, computer bags, jewelry, and curio cabinets too.
- Make sure high value items can’t be seen through your windows. Don’t tempt thieves by leaving presents and electronics in plain sight where they can see them when first glancing through your windows.
What measures do you take to protect your house at the holidays and at all times from crime?
Safety tips inspired by my involvement with Master Lock’s Live Secure Safety Squad where I receive products for review and will occasionally host product giveaways. I have not been compensated for my involvement. All opinions are my own.
