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5 Tips for Protecting Your Home During Holiday Travel

December 13, 2019

The holidays can be a stressful time for many, from shopping for the perfects gifts to fighting large crowds at the airport. During the process of planning and packing for extended stays with our family, we can sometimes forget that the holidays are also a prime season for home burglaries.

Thankfully, there are a number of effective strategies you can employ to deter thieves from targeting your house this holiday season. Try one or more of these methods and give yourself the holiday gift of peace of mind:

Install a security system

The presence of a high-quality residential video surveillance system is enough to deter away most burglars. The added challenge of cameras and other alarms usually cause hesitation and persuade thieves to move onto the next target. An added bonus of installing a wireless camera system is that you can also check in on pets that were left home for the day, look for any last-minute holiday deliveries, or check that you turned off your decorative lighting.

Skip the Facebook updates until after the party

Announcing holiday travel plans can alert thieves and increase the likelihood of your home becoming a target. Even if you are only going to be out for the day, letting people know about your long 3-hour drive or 6 p.m. family dinner can provide burglars with plenty of time to plan a break-in.

Rely on neighbors staying home

If you have a neighbor who is hosting for the holidays or staying in, you may want to let them know that no one will be at your house and ask if they can keep an extra eye out and alert you if anything suspicious is happening. If you will be gone for more than a couple of days, you may even ask them to grab your mail or even flick the lights on in different rooms to make it look occupied.

Lock things down

It can often be a hectic rush out the door on Christmas morning, making it easy to forget to shut an opened window or lock the back door. Give your house one quick round of checks before leaving to make sure that there aren’t any access points. Don’t forget sheds and garages as well.

Tuck away valuables

Thieves know that the best (and most expensive) gifts are given on the holidays, so don’t tempt them by advertising what Santa brought your family this year. Rather than leaving opened gifts sprawled around the tree, tuck away those electronics, jewelry, and other valuables before heading out to family dinner. You should also wait to bring boxes to the trash pile until your family is home and it is time for trash pick-up.

Trust in the experts

If you are looking to increase the security of your home this holiday season, contact Maryland Security Professionals. Our team of retired law enforcement personnel and other security experts will provide you with a free consultation and audit and help you find a perfect security solution that meets your needs and budget.

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