When you think of the holiday season, a few things come to mind: Fir trees decorated with lights, ribbon and ornaments; packages of peppermint candy canes lining grocery store aisle end caps; and of course, presents wrapped in festive paper and tied with a bow.
This time of year, many people – whether living in a home, condo, apartment or town home – like to leave their curtains open to show off their trees to the outside world and spread a little holiday cheer. However, doing so can also showcase the presents wrapped under the tree and entice burglars to break in and steal said presents, which can contain high value items such as electronics or jewelry.
With the increased threat of burglars breaking in to your home or car and nabbing the gifts you’ve bought for loved ones, following are a few tips to prevent break-ins during the holidays:
Lock It Up
This may seem like an obvious tip, but it’s worth reiterating.
The holidays can be accompanied by a significant amount of stress. If you’re hustling around town to buy gifts at different stores, you could forget to lock the car with presents in plain view in the back seat. Make it a habit to double check that your car is locked before entering the next store, and make an attempt to get the gifts out of sight by hiding them under your seats or putting them in the trunk.
Similarly, when rushing to hit the road or get to the airport, things can slip your mind (we’ve all seen Home Alone). Always lock the doors and windows in your residence to give yourself some extra peace of mind.
Don’t Alert Thieves that you’re Not Home
There are a few telltale signs that hint to burglars that you’re away from home: Lights being off at all hours and letting mail and newspapers pile up. And those signs let thieves know that it’s the best time for a break-in, as there’s less of a chance that they will be caught.
To avoid advertising that you’re out of town for the holidays, have a trusted neighbor or friend pick up your mail and newspapers and consider investing in a light timer for interior and exterior lights. You can also alert local police that you’ll be traveling and ask that an officer drive by your home periodically to help prevent a break-in.
Beware Of Risks in Your Yard
Your yard can put you at risk of a break-in, even if you don’t realize it.
Overgrown bushes and trees can make it easier for thieves to hide in your yard and go undetected during a break-in, so it’s important to keep trees, bushes and other plants in your yard well-maintained and cleared away from doors and windows.
Also, avoid hiding a spare key. Doing so is an open invitation for burglars to enter your home. Instead of hiding a key under a doormat or inside a flower pot, give one to a trusted neighbor or friend in case you or another family member gets locked out of your home.
Make Use Of – Or Invest In – An Alarm System
An alarm system is one of the best defenses against potential intruders. Burglars that see cameras around entryways will often avoid your home entirely. Even just displaying the security system warning sign can deter thieves from stepping foot on your property.
Make sure your alarm system is in proper working condition and armed when you leave your home for your holiday vacation.
Rely On Your Insurance Policies
If the worst case scenario does happen and your residence or car is burglarized while you’re away, your insurance policies can kick in and help you replace what was stolen and repair any property damage caused by the intruders.
Chat with your agent to ensure that your policies cover you in these situations and make sure you have enough coverage to replace valuable items – many standard policies have coverage limits when it comes to replacing or repairing personal property. It’s also wise to compile a home inventory – a completed list of all your belongings and their values – so that replacing items that are damaged or stolen is a much simpler process.
Stay safe and have a happy holiday season!
Shannon Ireland writes for SafecoInsurance.com and HomeInsurance.com, an online resource for homeowners and drivers across the country. Offering comparative automobile and home insurance quotes, consumers rely on HomeInsurance.com for the most competitive rates from the top-rated insurance carriers in the country. The HomeInsurance.com blog provides fresh tips and advice on a range of financial topics to help homeowners and homebuyers make educated decisions about their insurance purchases.
Comments (3)Subscribe to CommentsComment