The holidays are a fun and festive time of year. However, criminals don’t always celebrate in the same manner; nationally, between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, there is documented upswing in burglaries. In fact, the only time of year when the rate of burglaries is higher is during the summer months.
The majority of burglaries actually take place during daylight hours. The reasons for this increase are fairly simple, more people ae traveling and are therefore away from their homes and there are a significantly higher number of packages are being delivered.
So, how can you enjoy your holidays while protecting yourself from loss?
First and foremost, keep your doors and windows locked. It may seem obvious, but thousands of people every year have their homes and cars burglarized simply because they neglected to lock them.
Home security systems are a known deterrent to all types of crimes. Motion detector lights are also useful, as are interior lights on timers that are set to a random schedule. Cameras and alarms, especially when you have a notice on your property that they exist, will often make criminals immediately cross you off their list of potential targets.
Try to avoid having packages sitting outside your home. You can’t control when someone else might send you something, but if you are ordering things for delivery and you’re not home during the day, see if you can find a neighbor who is home and can keep an eye out and bring the packages inside for you. The new doorbell cameras are also proving effective as you can monitor your home from a remote location on your phone.
If you are traveling, try to avoid posting any information about your trip on social media until after you return. Criminals monitor the internet and if they see photos being posted from a distant location, you might have just made yourself a target.
In addition, alert friends and neighbors to your plans and arrange to have someone keep an eye on your house. Make sure you’ve arranged to either stop your mail and newspaper deliveries, or have someone pick them up every day. You can also alert the local police to your plans, so that they are aware your house is uninhabited.
Making every reasonable effort to protect your home and property will make your holidays that much more enjoyable.
