Make Your Home Secure for the Holidays
The holiday season can be marked by an uptick in crime as people are away from their homes to visit family and friends, attend parties, and be present for performances and social events. The criminal element is well aware of the numerous opportunities presented by the holidays, and it's up to you to
Posted — UpdatedHold your mail, newspapers, and other deliveries. If you know a neighbor is going to be home, ask her to look out for anything dropped off at the house. A package sitting on the porch for a day is vulnerable to theft, and it's a tipoff that no one's been home to collect it. You definitely don't want a pile of mail, papers, or other deliveries sitting around to make it obvious that nobody's home.
Use your social media wisely. It's hard to resist posting updates about where you are and what you're up to, but try to keep them ambiguous. If you broadcast your location, you're telling people that you're not at home. Instead, wait until you get back to share the news that you were visiting friends out of town. Consider locking down access to updates that are more explicit about the fact that you're on vacation, so close friends can know but the whole world won't.
We're sorry to say that you shouldn't rely on your pets for security, unless they're trained working animals who are on duty at night or other times when you need security. Be aware, however, that you should only work with security dogs if you, too, have been trained, and that they can bring on some liability issues. Meanwhile, pets can be unpredictable, and while some may react to intruders, they might not necessarily stop intruders or protect you. There's also a risk that an intruder could harm your pets!
Door handle locks are also a poor security measure, because they're very easy to break through. Get deadbolts for all your outside doors, and consider additional chain locks for security when you need to open your door for a visitor. (You should already have a peephole or window to allow you to see who's visiting.)
Leaving a light on, or relying on a television or radio, also isn't a good idea. Criminals aren't stupid, and they can tell when someone's home; if, for example, there are no cars in the driveway, no signs of movement in the house, and the light has remained on for hours, it's a safe bet that no one is really around. Likewise, a radio that's gone to static isn't very convincing evidence that there's an actual person at home.
Ultimately, it's also a good idea to get some homeowners or renter's insurance (if you rent, check with your landlords to see what is covered under their policy, and be aware that they are not liable for break-ins at your residence unless you can prove a break-in happened because they were negligent, which is a tough case). Insurance isn't security, but it can replace big-ticket items when they get stolen. Sentimental objects, however, should be kept in a safe, secure, and non-obvious (not the underwear drawer) place, because you'll never be able to replace them.