An empty house is a prime opportunity for a burglar; even more so if that house is empty for an extended period of time. That is why it’s so important to leave signs of life in and around your home when you’re away, as well as put extra security measures in place to ward off the criminals. Here are our top ten tips to prepare your home before you head off on your holiday. Have someone take care of your mail and bins An overflowing mailbox is a tell-tale sign of an empty house, so see if a neighbour or a friend can pop by regularly to collect your mail for you. Furthermore, a lone bin on the road well before or after bin collection day is a good indication that nobody has been, or will be home for a while, so if you can, ask your neighbour to take care of your bins for you too. Find a house-sitter A house-sitter is a great way to not only ward off criminals but to also care for your pets and gardens while you’re away. If you can’t find someone to stay the whole time, even getting someone who is willing to pop into your place every now and then throughout your trip is a great way to feign inhabitance. Set your lights to a timer If the lights are on, somebody’s home. At least that’s what a burglar will think when assessing a street at night. It’s easy to identify an unoccupied home if it’s early in the evening, and an entire house is dark. Investing in an electrical timer is an easy and cost-effective way to mimic your usual light routine to help it look like someone is home. Leave the radio or TV on The sound of chatting or music from inside a house is an excellent crim-repellant. Leaving a radio on in the kitchen or the TV on in the living room will offer subtle signs of life; if a burglar’s up close to your home and hears it, it’ll make them think twice about breaking in. Prune your garden An unruly lawn and garden can often indicate an empty house. So if you’re heading off on holidays, give your lawn a quick mow and prune back the bushes to keep it maintained while you are away. Ask your neighbour to park their car in your driveway If you’re taking your car with you or parking it inside your garage for safe-keeping, ask your neighbour to park their car in your driveway intermittently over the course of your holiday. A car out the front usually means somebody’s home, which is unappealing for a burglar. Remove the spare key If a burglar gets their hands on a key, it’s an easy way to enter your home. Be sure to remove your spare key from its hiding spot and either lock it up inside or leave it with a neighbour. No matter how well-hidden you think it is, leaving it outside while you’re away is not worth the risk. Be mindful of your social media While holidays are #instaworthy, just be mindful of your social media privacy settings to ensure that your absence from home is not publicly known. Or if you have a more significant following, just hold off posting too much that reveals you’re away from home for an extended period of time and save your posts for when you return Blinds It can feel natural to close your blinds when locking up your house ahead of a trip away, but a house with all the curtains and blinds closed during the day and night is a tell-tale sign that no one is home, making it appealing to a thief. Think about how your curtains and blinds usually are when you’re home and try and keep them that way. This may mean leaving some open and some closed. Install security screens If a burglar does end up getting close and personal with your home while you’re on holiday, having top-of-the-range security screens and locks on your doors and windows can make all the difference. Investing in security screens will not only protect your home while you’re away, but they are also an excellent way to protect your home and family while you are inside too. From the front door to your windows, Crimsafe’s industry-leading security screens are custom-designed to protect any home. For more information on Crimsafe’s range, check out our products.
