6 Tips to protect your home over the Holidays

The Christmas season is prime time for thieves as everyone goes away on holiday and homes are left unattended. Protect your home from unwanted attention and theft this December.

Make it look like someone’s home.

Thieves are on the lookout for homes that are unoccupied. Reduce risk by eliminating the common clues that no one is home. Put a temporary hold on your mail, or ask a neighbour to empty the letterbox. Park a car in the driveway and leave curtains open. Set lights to turn on with a timer to look like someone is in the house. Set them to turn on randomly, as lights turning on at 8pm every day no matter what could alert burglars that the house is unattended.

Check all doors and locks.

Your home security is only as strong as your weakest entry point. Check that all doors and windows are locked and that locks are sturdy and secure. In particular, check back entrances, windows and garage doors.

Hide valuables out of sight.

New Christmas gadgets are a strong attraction for thieves. Make sure valuables and Christmas presents are out of sight of windows and don’t advertise them on social media. Hide valuables in non-obvious places so that thieves don’t find them if they do get into your home!

Don’t publish holiday plans on social media.

It’s tempting to show your holiday snaps on social media for all your friends to see. However, this tells thieves that you aren’t home – and that your home is the perfect target. Wait to post your plans until after you get home, or make sure your posts are only visible to friends you trust.

Check the garage.

The garage is often a place people forget to check when they go away. Make sure your garage door is secure and not worn out – if it is, thieves may be able to pry it open. Repair broken springs or replace worn out doors. Check that all doors and windows are locked.