After a year of anticipation the holidays are finally here. Follow our holiday safety tips. This weekend many friends and families across Canada will be exchanging gifts, attending parties and celebrating this wonderful time of year. The holidays truly can be amazing but they can take a turn for the worse if you don’t take the necessary steps to protect yourself from break-ins and property damage. It is an unfortunate fact that during the holiday season incidents of home break-ins increase. Here are a few holiday safety tips to keep you, your family and home protected this holiday season.
Holiday Safety Tips to Follow
One of the main reasons incidents of burglary and break-ins increase during the holidays is because criminals know that families are buying expensive gifts. On top of that during Christmas a criminal knows that the best place to look for these expensive gifts is under the Christmas Tree. One way to combat this issue is by not displaying gifts or other valuables where they can be seen easily from a window or doorway. If a criminal knows where to go once they are inside your house, it significantly reduces the amount of time they need to be in your home before they can make off with your valuables. On Christmas morning when you are done opening gifts make sure to break down boxes of expensive gifts and place them in bags before you put them outside your house or on the curb for garbage collection. If a criminal sees a box for an expensive item like an HDTV sitting on the curb they may target your home.During the holidays potential burglars often research the houses they are interested in breaking into. One trick that has been used is finding an excuse to come to your front door. A burglar may pose as a delivery person, donation collector etc. in order to get a peek inside your home. During the holidays you should be cautious of a suspicious individuals who come to your front door. Criminals will also look for any indication that you have gone away for Christmas. If you are going away it is important to create the illusion that someone is in your home. Hiring a house sitter is an excellent idea. A house sitter can pick up your mail, turn on your lights and make sure you alarm system is properly armed. Getting someone to park in your driveway while you are away is another great strategy to protect your home. If you are going away and have a home alarm system it is a good idea to contact your security company and let them know. That way they will be more alert to any potential disturbance at your home. The holidays are a great time of year, make sure to follow these holiday safety tips to have peace of mind.