It’s summertime, and many of us are spending extended time away from home. As you make your travel arrangements, also make plans to make your home less susceptible to burglary. Begin with the basics. Ensure you have tamper-proof entrance locks and secure windows. Set your indoor and outdoor lights on timers so they turn on and off automatically, and make sure your home exterior is well lit at night. Consider motion lights for the side of your house or backyard. Arrange to have someone pick up your mail, cut your grass and water your outdoor flowers to maintain a kept look on your property. Don’t forget to cancel papers, too. Once that’s all arranged, remember to also monitor your behavior in order to help minimize risk. For example, always be careful about deciding who enters your home, because some individuals will pass along details of your residence to would-be intruders. Don’t allow visitors you can’t verify, including unscheduled tradespersons, and don’t share private/personal information with telemarketers. When you do leave your home unoccupied, inform your neighbours, so they can keep an eye out for unusual behavior. However, let your social friends wait until you return to see your holiday photos. Once you post photos, you don’t know who will get a chance to see that you’re away. Of course, once everything is in place, relax – and enjoy your holidays!
Reduce the Risk of Home Burglary
