Security Tips for the Holidays -- Security Today

Security Tips for the Holidays

Dec 23, 2016

While you are out shopping for last-minute gifts for Christmas, thieves are out shopping for homes to burglarize. Use these tips to make sure your house doesn’t make an easy target this holiday season.

Christmas Tree Display

Burglars are lazy, so they tend to look for the easiest entry and escape routes. To make it more difficult for them, don’t display you Christmas tree and presents near a front or back window. It is too tempting for them to smash a window, grab the valuables and run.

Out of Town

If you are planning on heading out for the holidays, make sure that you home doesn’t look still for too long. Thieves tend to stake out at homes that look unoccupied, so make sure you tell a neighbor to gather your mail, pick up your newspapers and report any suspicious activity around your house if you plan to be gone. To throw criminals off, use a lighting system that automatically lights up when a doorbell rings, or that you can control remotely from a mobile device.

Easy Entrance

I know that it is easy to have a spare key hidden near your house in case on day you lose yours, but during the holidays be sure to pick up any hidden keys. Burglars will be sure to look under welcome mats, potted plants and lawn decorations to see if they can find an easy entry into your home. When you leave, make sure all doors are locked and dead bolted as well as windows and garage doors are closed and locked.

Social Media Tips

Try not to post travel plans on social media. If your last name is on anything on your house, burglars will try to use Twitter, Instagram or Facebook to find out if you are gone for an extended amount of time. Don’t worry, you can still share all the photos you want from your family trip to Hawaii, just make sure you wait to share them until you are back home.

Empty Boxes

After Christmas morning when all the presents are opened, be sure you don’t stack up the empty boxes outside on your curb. You are basically displaying all your new items to the neighborhood and all those who might be looking for a house to rob. Cut the boxes into small pieces and put them in a trash bag before you put them on the curb.

I hope that these tips help you out this holiday season! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the team at Security Today!

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