According to a report created by CNN, home burglaries increase across the nation during the holiday season. They illustrated that nationally, burglaries peak in the summer but also trend high in December. They also discovered that some cities experienced their greatest number of burglaries in the two weeks following Christmas. This is a time when more people go on vacation than normal. More items come into the house and burglars target your homes for the holidays as a profitable time of the year.
Here are eight ways to keep your house secure during the holidays:
- Make sure gifts aren’t visible from the outside. Refrain from placing your Christmas tree by the window where your gifts are right below.
- Watch what you post on social media about the gifts you just purchased or when you plan to leave your home.
- Be careful about disposing of packaging, allowing it to pile up in your garbage can for your neighbors to see that you’ve just received something new and possibly valuable.
- Don’t run external lights through a window leaving a wedge that can be easily pried open.
- Put lights on timers so they can go on and off during the day and evening, but always be sure your home is well-lit and motion sensors trip when detecting movement.
- Be wary of door salesman or donation seekers. Do not give out personal information or give out money without double-checking their credentials.
- Secure your home by keeping your doors and windows locked and investing in a home security system.
- Have someone look after your home while you are out of town. This should include checking your mailbox.
Christmas time is a happy and busy time for us all. It’s also a busy time for burglars who try to spoil everyone else’s fun. Take the right steps in ensuring your home is safe. Even if your neighborhood has been safe lately, that could change this year. Be safe and have a happy holiday!