Secure Your Home During the Holidays

  • By Patrick V. Fiel Sr.
  • Nov 27, 2023

The most wonderful time of the year can easily transform into a nightmare. Being vigilant, while still enjoying the holiday season, is possible. The holiday season is the perfect time to start implementing security measures to protect one’s home and ensure security while out and about.

There are 2.5 million burglaries a year in the U.S. and the majority occur during the day. 75 percent of residential burglaries occur when no one is present. Homes with no security system are 300 percent more likely to be robbed and only 50 percent of Americans have a residential security system.

Residential cameras and alarm systems are highly recommended.

Home Holiday Tips:

  • Conduct a security check of your home by walking around your property. Look for weak points of entry, such as a door that does not lock properly or an unlocked window.
  • Secure outdoor movable items, like bicycles, leaf blowers, lawn mowers, power tools, barbecues, and ladders. If possible, secure them in the garage or storage shed.
  • Check the lighting on your property. Consider installing motion sensor LED lights around the exterior of the house.
  • Trim overgrown shrubs to deter individuals from hiding.
  • Lock vehicles and remove items that can be seen, like loose change, sunglasses, electronic devices such as cell phones, iPads and laptops, GPS portable devices, dash-mounted units, and all packages. Note: A gun is taken from a car every 15 minutes; the most common source of stolen guns is cars parked at home.
  • Hide the garage opener so it cannot be seen by those passing by. Take it inside the house and make a habit of taking it in and out of the house.
  • Set timers on interior lights. Giving the impression that someone is home can help in deterring burglars, who often look for crimes of opportunity.
  • When traveling for the holidays, do not make it evident to criminals. Arrange for someone to move the trash can on designated days, pick up newspaper, mail, packages, and anything left at door.
  • Park a vehicle in the driveway. Keeping an extra vehicle in the driveway or asking a neighbor to park their vehicle might help deter potential burglars.
  • Lock your garage. It may seem like a closed garage door is automatically secure, but that is not the case. A garage door can easily be forced open when the safety release mechanism is flipped. To prevent this, disable the electric opener or install a padlock on the overhead door latch. Another simple solution is to slide a bolt through a hole in the track.
  • Do not advertise on social media about vacation plans before and during, as criminals monitor these sites.
  • Rely on your friends for help. Ask someone you trust to visit your house regularly while you are gone to give your home that lived-in feel.

The holidays can be the most wonderful time of the year, as long as you stay safe. Follow these holiday tips and enjoy this special season.

About the Author

Patrick V. Fiel Sr. is a national security expert, he has over 40 years of experience managing law enforcement and security organizations. He is retired from the U.S. Army Military Police Corps. He is available to speak on the Active Shooter and best practices. Patrick can be reached at 910-789-4265 or [email protected]

Featured

  • Report: 47 Percent of Security Service Providers Are Not Yet Using AI or Automation Tools

    Trackforce, a provider of security workforce management platforms, today announced the launch of its 2025 Physical Security Operations Benchmark Report, an industry-first study that benchmarks both private security service providers and corporate security teams side by side. Based on a survey of over 300 security professionals across the globe, the report provides a comprehensive look at the state of physical security operations. Read Now

    • Guard Services

  • Identity Governance at the Crossroads of Complexity and Scale

    Modern enterprises are grappling with an increasing number of identities, both human and machine, across an ever-growing number of systems. They must also deal with increased operational demands, including faster onboarding, more scalable models, and tighter security enforcement. Navigating these ever-growing challenges with speed and accuracy requires a new approach to identity governance that is built for the future enterprise. Read Now

  • Eagle Eye Networks Launches AI Camera Gun Detection

    Eagle Eye Networks, a provider of cloud video surveillance, recently introduced Eagle Eye Gun Detection, a new layer of protection for schools and businesses that works with existing security cameras and infrastructure. Eagle Eye Networks is the first to build gun detection into its platform. Read Now

  • Report: AI is Supercharging Old-School Cybercriminal Tactics

    AI isn’t just transforming how we work. It’s reshaping how cybercriminals attack, with threat actors exploiting AI to mass produce malicious code loaders, steal browser credentials and accelerate cloud attacks, according to a new report from Elastic. Read Now

  • Pragmatism, Productivity, and the Push for Accountability in 2025-2026

    Every year, the security industry debates whether artificial intelligence is a disruption, an enabler, or a distraction. By 2025, that conversation matured, where AI became a working dimension in physical identity and access management (PIAM) programs. Observations from 2025 highlight this turning point in AI’s role in access control and define how security leaders are being distinguished based on how they apply it. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • Unified VMS

    AxxonSoft introduces version 2.0 of the Axxon One VMS. The new release features integrations with various physical security systems, making Axxon One a unified VMS. Other enhancements include new AI video analytics and intelligent search functions, hardened cybersecurity, usability and performance improvements, and expanded cloud capabilities

  • HD2055 Modular Barricade

    Delta Scientific’s electric HD2055 modular shallow foundation barricade is tested to ASTM M50/P1 with negative penetration from the vehicle upon impact. With a shallow foundation of only 24 inches, the HD2055 can be installed without worrying about buried power lines and other below grade obstructions. The modular make-up of the barrier also allows you to cover wider roadways by adding additional modules to the system. The HD2055 boasts an Emergency Fast Operation of 1.5 seconds giving the guard ample time to deploy under a high threat situation.

  • 4K Video Decoder

    3xLOGIC’s VH-DECODER-4K is perfect for use in organizations of all sizes in diverse vertical sectors such as retail, leisure and hospitality, education and commercial premises.