How to protect your homes this summer while you are on vacation

The summer months of July to August, have been reported as the time when the maximum number of burglaries have occured. This is the time when many families are out on vacation, which makes it easy for theives. Listed are a few tips on How to protect your homes from burglars this summer, these simple tips take little time to implement and and help you in prevention of break-in.

• Ask neighbors, friends or family to check on your home while you’re away.

• Stop your mail and newspapers during the time you are away. If you forget, then ask a neighbor to collect your mail and newspapers. Newspapers piled in the driveway and overflowing mailboxes are invitations to burglars.

• Ask your neighbor to put a filled garbage can in front of your house on collection day.

• Make arrangements for your lawn to be mowed. Your neighbor’s may supervise this while you are away. The overgrown bushes would help the burglars to cover them in their job and allow them easy entry into your homes.

• Ask a friend or neighbor to accept all deliveries, such as packages, etc. Make sure all scheduled deliveries arrive before you leave. Boxes and deliveries left on your front door might give a hint to burglars that nobody is present at home.

• Do not leave any tell tale signs that you are away on vacation. Notes left on mailboxes or doors for delivery are bad ideas. Restrict the list of those who know you are on vacation.

• Ensure that your home has a “lived-in” look. Set automatic timers on lights, televisions and radios. Not only set automatic timers for lights, televisions and radios, but also set them at different times, so your house appears to look and sound occupied. Be sure exterior lights have timers and motion sensors. Burglars hate this kind of lighting because it reveals their movements outside a house. Place shades and blinds in their normal positions, but adjust them, so no one is able to view the interior and conclude no one is home.

• According to the home security experts, the master bedroom is the first place burglars search, so remove any valuables, such as jewelry from your home before you leave. Place your valuables in a safety deposit box or ask someone you trust to hold them while you’re away.

• Give a neighbor or family member your house key and ask him or her to check inside your house every two or three days. That person should also have your itinerary and information to contact you in case of an emergency.

• Put an alarm sticker on your window, even if you don't have one.

• Post a "Beware of Dog" sign, Burglars might think there is a dog in the house.

• Get a big dog bowl and place it by the door.

• Bury all exposed phone lines, if cut they will disable your alarm.

• Lock Glass Sliding Doors/French Doors and put a broomstick inside the track to jam the door.

• Don’t put ladder out side of your house. It helps the burglars.

• Have window locks installed on your windows and use them.

• Remember, to lock and secure your garage door.

• Some home insurance providers offer discounted premiums if homeowners invest in additional security features such as burglar alarms and even CCTV cameras. Look at some providers before you plan your vacation.

• The study, "Cash for Keys," found that, in many cases homeowners were either unwisely handing over keys to people they barely know or leaving them in easy-to-find locations when they are away on a holiday.

• Don’t put labels like garage, extension etc on your keys, this gives clear directions to theives on how to proceed.

• Remember to get back all the sets of keys which have been given out to people such as plumbers, electricians, gardeners, cleaners and babysitters. A study reports that, eight out of 10 people give out spare sets & a quarter of them never got them back.

• Two out of five homeowners hide a spare set outside their house, often in obvious places like under the front step mat or the dustbin.

• With improved security, car theft is now an increasingly tricky business so thieves are turning their attention to stealing vehicle keys from homes instead.

Source: bellaonline.com, kwik-fitinsurance.com