Preventing Thefts During Holiday Season

The holiday season is something that everyone looks forward to. Unfortunately, that “everyone” includes criminals too. We love the holidays because it’s a time for family, friends, fun and festivities. Burglars love it because,for them, it is the time for easy pickings. Thefts and break-ins skyrocket during the holidays because criminals know that this is when homes are left empty for extended periods, and people, preoccupied with holiday activities, tend to become careless about precautions they normally would take. Here’s what you can do to make life more difficult for burglars and keep yourself from becoming another crime statistic.

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Keep Your Lights On

How do burglars know if a house is empty? The simplest way is to look out for those that have no lights on at night for a few days in a row. That usually means that the family is away. If you have automatic timers installed set them to turn the lights in various rooms on and off at set times of the evening and night. If you don’t have timers, ask a neighbor to drop in every alternate day or so and turn on the lights for the night. The neighbor can also collect any mail that may be lying on the doorstep – that is another giveaway that no one is at home. Do not forget to stop newspaper delivery for the days you will be away – a pile of papers in front of the house is a burglar magnet!

Protect All Entry Points

Thieves will enter a house from wherever they can, not just the front door. Before going out of town spend a few minutes double checking that all possible entry points to the house are securely closed. That includes doors, windows, garages, French windows, and so on. If you have an alarm system installed, turn it on and check that it is working. Ask your neighbors to keep an eye on your home and report any suspicious activity, such as strangers lurking around, to the police. You can also inform the police about your absence from home and request them to do extra drive byes during that time.

Protect Your Purchases

Holidays are a time for shopping. As you go from store to store, the many bags in your car would be a tempting target for thieves. Keep all your purchase out of sight in the trunk and go home between stores as much as possible to leave your shopping in the house. Remember to ensure that your car is always locked and try to park only in well-lit places that are not deserted.

The Best Protection

Crooks are smart and they are always looking for ways to outwit all the precautions you take. There is no such thing as a sure-fire guarantee that you will not be robbed, no matter what you do. The best protection for you and your family is to ensure that your insurance coverage is enough to allow you to recover, if you should be robbed. Your homeowners insurance policy may not be enough. Talk to an insurance professional to see if there are gaps in your coverage that you need to fill. Once that is done, you can rest assured and fully enjoy your well-deserved holidays.