With plenty of holidays coming up, it can indeed be the most wonderful time of the year. However, it can also be a dangerous time, as break-ins are usually on the rise during this season, according to a South University study.
Here are some tips to keep your house secure from burglars during the holidays:
1.) Trim off shrubs and plants, especially around entrances. Burglars use this to case your place or as hiding spots, so it would be best to keep the greens in the yard neat and tidy.
2.) Fix broken locks on doors and windows. Burglars are more likely to use the front door and the windows beside it to break into the house, according to the Washington Post, but broken windows and unlocked sliding doors in the backyard are ideal entry points too, according to the FBI. Make sure that these are secure at all times.
3.) Don't scrimp on lights, especially around the exterior. Lights are effective at scaring off would-be burglars. Check spots around your house that are dark and install lights as necessary. If you're worried about the utility bill, choose motion detecting lights or energy-saving lights that might be more expensive to buy than regular lights, but burn less energy and are more practical for long-term use.
4.) Use technology. Invest in security alarms and cameras, then place signs around your house that these exist. By having the warnings, it eliminates your house as an easy mark for burglars. Make sure that you know how to work these alarms and that these are properly programmed. Check out this list of recommended security alarm systems from Consumer Affairs.
5.) Be friendly with your neighbors. If you're away on a trip, you can provide them the spare keys to your house, instead of leaving the keys by the flower pot. You can also arrange for the neighbors to pick up your mail and newspaper deliveries, so that there won't be any indication to the burglars that no one is home.
"A good practice is making your home appear as though someone is there," said criminal justice director Roger Humber in the South University report. "Most burglars are looking for the empty home, so leaving lights on, keeping the mail/newspapers picked up are good ideas."
