The holidays are like open season for burglars and other ne'er-do-wells. With many households adding an array of new, expensive gifts (often spread out attractively and conveniently under a tree) or leaving for extended periods over the next month, we're practically tempting thieves. Here are a few things we can do keep to keep our homes secure over the holidays.
1. When traveling, set a timer for lights. Or, if you're friendly with your neighbors, consider asking one or more to bring in your mail and turn lights on and off.
2. It's exciting to get a new flat television (ahem, ya hear me Santa?) and once you turn it on it's easy to get distracted and just plop the box outside for the garbage. Well you may as well hang out a sign that says FREE TV HERE. Break down your boxes and stash them in the recycling can or put them in large bags before you set them outside.
3. Deadbolt your door every time, even if you're just leaving for a ten minute jaunt to pick up a little more evaporated milk for the pumpkin pie.
4. If you're going to put your Christmas tree in a very visible front window, don't put your wrapped gifts on display. If you really enjoy the tradition of presents under the tree, put them out on Christmas Eve.
5. I love social media as much as the next person but does everyone need to know that you're out of state at your grandma's house for the next week? Keep your exact location offline. Advertising that your house is empty is not a good idea.
6. If you're going to be away from home for more than a few days, place a hold on newspaper and mail delivery. A stoop littered with newspapers or an overflowing mailbox are sure signs that someone is on vacation and no one is looking after the homestead.
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A timer for a radio is a good way to make it sound like someone is home too.
You laugh about the mannequins, but when I was little we would build a scarecrow-like person in my dad's easy chair and leave the TV on like he was watching it. This was when we were out of town over the holidays and lived in a semi-sketch neighborhood. It looked totally real from the back windows. Might have been overkill, but it was really fun for us kids.
Timers are my best friend. And nosy neighbors.
Keep curtains closed, especially in those rooms with the most electronics. If you want light to get in, get sheers. You don't want any thieving neighbors to "window shop" your place.
Pay a neighbour kid to shovel your walkway when it snows (and collect your mail when it doesn't). Nothing screams "nobody home!" like a walkway full of snow (that's free of footprints).
Yeah but be careful of those neighbor kids telling their friends that no one is home.
Finally! A practical use for my mannequins!
@fiona - that's hilarious!
I'm glad we live in a very safe place and don't need any safety measures.
The mannequin comments have me dying laughing. I'm not going to lie, when I lived alone, and I thought I would hear something go bump in the night, I would start having loud conversations about cleaning my gun or waking up the pinscher. Of course, I have no gun and no pinscher. And that was probably overkill.
we now live in an awesumer neighborhood where two days after we got our keys our house appeared on fugitive files...apparently the previous tenant bailed on her home confinement...anyhow we had to put up a sign that said "Jane doesn't live here anymore so please don't harass my family at all hours asking if she is. Check regional jail" Two weeks later a neighbor got shot in the butt during a drive by...it's been awesumly safe here with four kids...(rolling eyes) Anyhow we had to change some habits like making sure our doors were locked. house and car! we're both musicians and I'ma a photographer. I'm always paranoid that someone will see us loading or unloading our vehicles for a gig..so we now unload in the back yard. I hate curtains..really our old house had none anywhere.. :) but here I had to figure some stuff out. So i used tissue paper to cover up some of the windows and finaly broke down and got curtains for other rooms. anyhow I'm rambling now.
I've heard of placing a big pair of men's work boots outside the door, as well as a dog leash, whether or not a large man or canine is in residence.
We close all of our curtains and blinds at night and when we leave, and have motion sensor lights on all sides of our home.
Save save save your tv boxes for when you move! Break them down and put them under your bed or in the back of a closet.
Glad to see that the post wasn't actually suggesting the sign in the accompanying photo. The only time you'd want to use a sign like that is if you don't have a dog of any kind. If you put up any kind of sign "warning" people about your dog and it bites someone (even if they had it coming) expect the sign to be used as evidence that you knew how dangerous your dog was and for it to be put to sleep. Even the typical "beware of dog" is a bad idea.
This is good advice, but I'd add one more: be friends with your neighbors and let them know when you'll be out of town. Our neighbors all look out for each other, pick up mail for each other, etc. when we go out of town. Knowing who should be in your neighborhood and shouldn't, and calling the cops when something is suspicious, is the best way to keep yourself and your neighbors from being robbed.
I like the big boots and leash ideas. Timer for lights also seems wise.
Having a friend randomly drop into your living space once or twice a day could also be helpful, so people are seen coming and going.
We have large dogs and don't often travel, so burglary isn't too much of an issue for us.
I used to have a big dog, so I have a large wire crate that breaks down and stores flat. It's heavy, but if I'm gone for a long time, I set it up in front of the sliding door to the backyard. And I do dog-sit for friends occassionally, so I am randomly seen with a dog.
how many people have actually had any luck with the postal service holding their mail? not me!!! i just have friends pick mine up.
Keep your TV boxes under your bed and maybe the "bad feng shui" will get the burglers when they break into your home!