Holiday Home Safety Tips: Protecting Your Home While You Travel

Preparing Your Home for Travel

• 💡 Locking doors and cars are basic but essential steps to prevent opportunistic crime.
• 🔑 Vacation home watch programs offered by law enforcement can provide an extra layer of security with officers checking on your property.
• 🏠 Asking a trusted neighbor or friend to keep an eye on your home, especially if they live nearby, can be highly effective.

Managing Deliveries and Packages

• 📦 Packages and mail left unattended are a clear signal to thieves that a home may be empty.
• ⏰ Time your deliveries carefully to ensure someone is home to receive them, or consider alternative delivery options.
• 🔒 Utilizing delivery drop-off locations or lockers can prevent packages from sitting on your porch.

Digital Safety While Away

• 🚫 Avoid posting travel plans on social media during the holidays, as this can alert potential burglars to your absence.
• 📱 Continue to refrain from posting about your trip even while you are away, as unwanted attention can still be drawn.

Leveraging Technology for Security

• 📹 Ensuring your home security cameras are working properly before you leave is crucial for monitoring activity.
• 📡 Some camera systems can alert you to activity, providing an immediate awareness of what is happening at your home.

General Home Security Practices

• 💧 For those on well water, turning off the water pump can be a practical step to prevent potential issues while away.
• 🔑 Collecting spare keys from outside your home and ensuring they are not easily accessible to strangers is important.
• 🤝 Having a neighbor who knows your routine and can notice if something is out of place offers an informal but valuable security presence.