Over the past year, I’ve had my home and car broken into. Well, technically the garage door of my home was open, so instead of “breaking and entering”, the thieves just “entered”. Either way, it was not a fun experience and has made me more aware of my safety habits.
10 Tips for Preventing Crime this Holiday Season:
Get a new TV, X-Box or Sonos this Christmas? Don’t advertise your new goods to thieves. Break down the boxes and make sure they are well covered in your recycle bin. Do not place empty boxes advertising expensive new toys on the curb for trash pick up!
Don’t make it obvious you are out of town. Keep your shades in their normal position. Set timers on lights so that they come on a different times of day (a number of companies offer “smart bulbs” that you can control from your phone to make this really easy!) Stop your mail and newspaper.
If you do plan to be out of town, ask a neighbor to monitor your house while you are away and collect any packages or alert you to anything unusual. Asking a neighbor to park in the driveway on occasion is also a great idea.
Most burglaries occur between 10 am and 3 pm, when homeowners are away from the house either at work or running errands. Make sure you lock your doors, even if you just leave for a few minutes!
Install a RING doorbell or other video security system. It may not prevent the theft, but it will provide important information to the police.
Is your Christmas tree sitting in the front window with presents on display? Consider putting gifts under a secondary tree out of view from potential burglars.
Make sure your home is well lit and that shrubbery is trimmed - don’t give thieves a dark place to hide!
Be aware of what you are posting on social media. Don’t post about expensive new gifts or travel plans.
It’s tempting to leave gifts in your car until you can wrap or hide them. Don’t! If you park outside, make sure you car is empty of all items that a thief could mistake for a big score.
Have packages shipped to a business address. The majority of the thefts in our neighborhood are from porch thieves. Send anything you need before the holidays to your office for safe delivery.
Need other tips on protecting your home? Call our team at the Heather Guild Group today! We are your residential real estate experts!