Theft Prevention During The Holidays

“We live on the most boring street in the whole United States of America, where nothing even remotely dangerous will ever happen.”

– Buzz McCallister, Home Alone

Are you planning to travel for the year-end holidays? Homeowners Insurance claims tend to peak toward the end of the year, mostly due to holiday travels and all of the valuable gifts left behind at home or in vehicles. By following these theft-deferring tips, you can protect yourself and your belongings this holiday season.

1. Lock them up and out of sight.   Hide your bundle of gifts, nothing beats the magical excitement of waking up on Christmas morning to open gifts.  Although tradition and the engaging festive frenzy have us set wrapping gifts and placing them under the tree.  Many times, we’ll leave home to go shopping again or just to join friends for a pre-Christmas meal leaving our home vulnerable to an easy task of grab and go for a criminal who’d dare to break in!  Clearly the valuable targets are neatly wrapped under the tree.
2. Deadbolts on all exterior doors.  These locks are a must on all exterior doors, they are inexpensive and most always an easy installation. This will add an extra layer of security, and it will be tougher for intruders.  Deadbolts can be the usual mechanical ones, or for the most modern home, digital ones are available (even smart deadbolts which can be remotely operated).
3. Reinforce sliding doors and windows.  In case a burglar tries to pry open a sliding door or window, this can easily be combatted by cutting down a metal or wooden rod to brace the sliding door or window.
4. Keep the doors locked. Fortify your winter wonderland by double-checking that all the doors and windows are locked, including the door to the garage. Many thieves use universal garage door openers to gain access into homes, so it’s best to keep valuables out of the garage area. The peace of mind that comes with having an alarm system is worth the investment. Especially now, there are several affordable smart technology solutions such as Frontpoint and LiveWatch. Or you can check out higher-end systems like Abode Home Security Starter Kit. In most cases, in addition to the set-up fee, you will have a low-cost monthly fee for any home security system. It’s a good investment for such a huge return of the security.
5. Use timers. Anytime you leave your house for an extended period of time, it’s wise to “keep up appearances” so to speak, and that means leaving the lights on as if you never left. Simply selecting a few random lights to keep on while you are away will work, but to be convincing, we recommend using automatic light timers. In addition, if your family uses the Nest home security system, you can easily connect TP-Link’s Kasa products, which are a system of smart plugs, switches, and light bulbs that can be controlled from your Nest app. Kasa works with Nest’s “Home” and “Away” settings to make it seem like you’re home by randomly turning on things like speakers, lights, and TVs. And they can turn on a device to make it look like someone’s home when Nest Cam detects a person. So, no matter your budget, or comfort level with technology, there is a solution for everyone.
6. Block prying eyes. Simple enough, close your blinds and curtains while you are away. In addition, you’ll want to take extra measures to make sure there are no boxes or packages of high-priced items like computers or TVs in your trash or on the curb for everyone to see. This also goes for evidence of shopping bags, receipts, packages, and gift-wrapping. These should also be put away and out of sight!

These burglar-busting guidelines will help you keep your home and it’s holiday contents safe this season and beyond. And remember, when it comes to social media, mums the word! It’s been reported that four out of five burglars used social media last year to find out when people were not home. So keep these details under wraps, so that you can enjoy unwrapping your gifts, and focus on all the holiday magic this year.