Tis’ the season for holiday cheer, family, friends and fun! Sadly, it’s also a time of increased crime, break-ins, burglaries and petty theft. Our strongest recommendation to ensure the safety of your home or business is to have a monitored security system. Ensure all your holiday memories are good ones with these 12 security tips:
- Don’t just hide the gifts from the kids! A beautifully decorated tree looks wonderful in your front window, but piles of pretty presents underneath also act as an open invitation for a break-in. Consider storing gifts elsewhere and keep those curtains closed when you aren’t home.
- Lock it up!Be extra cautious about locking doors and windows when you leave the house, even for a quick errand. The average burglar takes less than a minute to break into your home and is out again within 8 to 12 minutes. Forgot to set the alarm? Ask about us remote applications you can use from your home to always be protected.
- Be Aware that criminals sometimes pose as couriers delivering gifts. A monitored doorbell allows you to see and speak to them without ever opening the door.
- Light up your home, inside and out. Add a motion-activated light to your porch to keep prowlers from lurking. Even better? Ask us about motion-light and security camera combos. That way you have bright deterrent and a way to catch the culprits in action.
- Going out? Don’t make it obvious.Whether you’re headed out for the night to a holiday party or a day at the mall, be sure that your house remains well lit. Leaving the television or radio on can also make thieves reconsider who is home.
- Take care with extension cords. Extra lights mean extra wires, and often, extension cords. Confirm your cords have no frayed ends and are certified for outdoor use. Avoid running them through windows or doors leading inside. The little wedge that wire leaves is all a burglar needs to pry their way in.
- Keep your travel plans offline. If you are planning to travel during the holiday season, be sure to keep your travel plans off your social media networks. Never post where you are going, when you are leaving, or when you will be back. This is prime information for a thief because he will know when your house will be empty. Even if you have the highest privacy levels set, often when “checking in” to new locations, they default to sharing publicly.
- Rethink those deliveries. Whenever possible, ship packages to your place of work or a location where someone is physically there to sign. Thieves are opportunists, and packages sitting at your door all day are a sure sign no one is home.
- Consider a house-sitter, relative or trusted neighbor to watch after your home if you are away to pick up mail, return trash and recycling bins, collect newspapers and even park their car in your driveway. All signs of activity which will keep thieves guessing.
- Don’t be trashy. Fancy electronics and expensive gifts are exciting, but reconsider leaving those empty boxes at the curb for days. You’re basically sending an announcement to would-be thieves to shop at your house for the latest technology.
- Update your Vacation Call List before you leave by phoning us at #954-663-8324. Precious time can be lost when your alarm sounds and your emergency contacts can’t be reached. Have all the people on your Emergency Contact List program the Central Station phone numbers into their phones and instruct them not to ignore the call. CENTRAL STATION: #800-245-7821 or #561-819-1280
- Arm your alarm! Most insurance companies provide specific conditions to their coverage when it comes to claims. Having an alarm system but failing to maintain its monitoring or arm it, is the fastest way to invalidate a home robbery or invasion claim. Ask about us remote applications you can use from your home to always be protected.