According to this report in AfricaCheck.org, cases of burglary, among other crimes, tend to increase over the festive season. Houses left vacant while occupants travel are great targets for burglars, and your home sweet home could be ransacked without you even knowing about it for weeks. If you rely solely on your alarm system to protect your property while you’re away, consider ticking off the following five home security tips before you go on holiday…
Empty the Post Box
A secure post box is an empty one. Potential home invaders will look into your post box to see how much post has been delivered and not retrieved. If your post box is empty most of the time, criminals might assume that someone is occupying your home – collecting your post – and this will deter them from attempting a grab at your belongings. Ask a neighbour or family friend to collect your post once or twice a week (who knows, they might even pay your bills for you!).
Security Lights
Don’t be left in the dark when it comes to home security! Lights are essential for keeping your home safe while you’re on holiday, and you should ideally have external lights shining onto the front and rear yards. These will deter criminals (as they like to practise their art in the dark) and make it easier for armed response to spot them should they be brazen enough to attempt an illuminated break-in. Also, keep one or two lights on inside your home to give the impression that someone is home – just be sure to install energy-saving bulbs.
Secure Points of Entry
Before heading out on holiday, have a look at all the entry points to your home. If you’ve found yourself saying, ’that gap is way too small for someone to fit through,’ chances are someone will be able to fit through it. If the burglar happens to be smaller in stature, even the smallest of windows becomes an entry point – so prepare for the unexpected by ensuring that all of your windows are secured. Contact us, and we’ll advise you on the best security solutions for your specific entry points.
Inform Others
Home security is only bolstered when you inform people that you are, in fact, leaving for a period of time. A good place to start would be your alarm company and armed response service. This way, should your alarm go off while on holiday, they do not have to call and find out if you set off the alarm off by accident – allowing for rapid deployment and a better chance of protecting your belongings. Also, let your neighbours know you intend on being away for a while, so they can keep an eye out for anything suspicious.
Security Dogs
Before taking your four-legged best friends to kennels or family friends, consider leaving them at home. Not only will they be more comfortable in familiar surroundings; dogs can be a deterrent to would-be thieves. Why not ask someone to come around and feed Fido once a day or, better yet, employ the services of a house-sitter to keep things hunky-dory while you’re not at home – ensuring you are able to enjoy your time away without having to constantly worry about what’s happening on the home front.
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