Holiday Home Security Tips

For many families, the holidays are known as the season for giving. But for burglars, it’s the prime season for taking—stealing from you not only your hard-earned money, possessions, and new gifts, but also all the joy and sense of goodness that the holidays are supposed to be all about.

Protecting your home from burglary is a necessity during any time of the year. But when burglars know that holidays such as Christmas are when homes are likely to be filled with brand new gifts—MP3 players, computers, flat screen TVs, jewelry, cash, and other expensive items—extra security measures need to be put in place.

The following are a few important tips that can go a long way in protecting your home during the holidays and decreasing its chance of being selected as a thug’s next target.

The Security Onion: The More Layers The Better.

  • Burglars prefer to rob homes that are unoccupied. You can give the appearance of being home by installing two or three light timers inside your home, and use timers to turn on a TV or radio while you’re gone.
  • Burglars look for homes that allow for easy access. So avoid placing your Christmas tree and the surrounding gifts in front of an accessible window. This will only invite burglars to break the window and reach in and grab the gifts.
  • If you are going to be away for several days on vacation during the holidays, ask a neighbor to collect all newspapers and/or ads left on your driveway, doorstep or doorknob while you are gone. Doing so will give burglars one less visible tip that your home is unoccupied.
  • Extension cords running through a window for Christmas lights can create a severe security hazard, as this usually prevents the window from being closed and locked. If you enjoy displaying Christmas lights outside your home but don’t have an exterior electrical outlet, have one installed by a professional.
  • NEVER leave a message on your answering machine that notifies callers that you are away on vacation. There are some burglars who are in the business of calling homes to check for these types of messages as a way of finding their next targets.
  • All accessible windows and glass patio doors that slide sideways should have a metal rod or solid wooden closet dowel inserted into the track. Windows that slide up and down should have an anti-lift mechanism installed on the interior of the window.
  • The holidays should be all about sharing happy times with your family and friends; so don’t let the bad guys stop you from enjoying your holiday season. Instead, protect your home with multiple layers of security and stop the bad guys in their tracks!
  • Most burglars force their way into homes through a locked door or window. You can significantly decrease a burglar’s ability to break down the door to your home by installing a high quality security door brace at the base of the interior side of entry doors (the brace must be able to withstand at least 1800 pounds of force).
  • Treat all accessible windows and glass doors with glass protection film. This protective layer of security will make the glass extremely hard to break through without a significant amount of time and noise-producing effort. This will give a burglar good reason to stop and flee the premises rather than continue and risk being caught.
  • Do not place empty boxes from expensive gifts such as computers, stereo equipment, DVD players, etc., out on the street with your garbage after the holidays. This may indicate to burglars on the prowl that you have something worth stealing. Break down the boxes, cut them up, and conceal them in plastic garbage bags before placing them in your garbage cans.

 

ROCK SOLID SECURITY of GA, is your #1 Security and Home Automation & Integration Company.  Please go to our website at www.rock-solid-security.com and see all the simple solutions that will give you the PEACE OF MIND you and your family deserve at this time of the year and all year long.  Give the gift of “Life Safety”!  God Bless and Happy Holidays.

Rocky Beebe – Owner – ROCK SOLID SECURITY of GA – 770-403-4960