Many homeowners and their families look forward to the holiday season, but what they may not know is that burglars also look forward to this time of year, as there are many opportunities for them due to lax . The rush and bustle of the season often causes people to focus less on the safety of their homes. In order to keep their homes safe over the holidays, homeowners and their families should take several steps to ensure that their homes and possessions stay safe.
One of the biggest mistakes homeowners make in home security during the holidays is when they’re decorating. It’s tempting to put a large Christmas tree in the front window with all of the presents stacked beneath it, but if neighbors and friends can see it, so can thieves. To keep windows from being broken and the gifts from being stolen, don’t stack large packages where they can be seen from outside, and keep the curtains drawn during theday.
According to the Crime Doctor website, the holiday season is “a time of opportunity to burglarize your home for cash, credit cards, and all the new gifts of small electronics, computers, jewelry, and easily sold valuables.”
To keep this from happening, all gifts, whether they are unwrapped or not, should never be displayed in a large window that faces the street.
Another mistake that many homeowners make during the holidays is that they often sacrifice for outdoor décor. Some homes do not have outdoor outlets and the homeowner is tempted to keep a window cracked in order to run one or more extension cords outside. Unless the windows have security bars that can only be unlocked from the inside, this makes it much too easy for a thief to gain access to the home. Homeowners should always consider how their holiday décor might allow thieves to make their way inside.
Holiday season family vacations are another holiday home security issue that many people do not consider. Some families like to leave messages on their voicemail to let people know they have left town, but this is only an invitation for thieves to break in when they are not at home. Neighbors and friends should be notified so that mail and newspapers can be taken in, and automatic light timers should be set each day so that the home looks occupied. Holiday should be part of every homeowner’s holiday traditions.
Kris Murphy
Author – Kris has been learning the ropes, but already has 4 years of industry experience working with us. He is in charge of researching our security system reviews and putting together new content for our site’s blog section.