Protecting your Home on Halloween: Halloween Home Security Tips

halloween home securityHalloween is almost here! While this is a fun time filled with tricks, treats and costumes, it’s also important to remember Halloween home security. Criminals frequently use this occasion to commit crimes. Why? Because it’s an entire night filled with costumes, darkness and lurking around homes. Criminals take advantage of these facts. So how can you protect your home at Halloween? Here are a few Halloween home security tips.

Use Lighting

Criminals like to work in the dark. That’s why lighting is so important. With all the hustle and bustle of Halloween, you want to make sure that you shine a light on potential criminals. Motion-activated lights are a good idea. They turn on when needed and stay off when there’s no one around. You can install them around your property so that you’ll know if someone is lurking near your back door.

Pay Attention

Halloween is a busy time. Between handing out candy, looking after children and enjoying yourself, it’s easy to get distracted. Criminals use this opportunity to strike. The fact that you’ll likely have many people walking around your neighbourhood and coming up to your house can also cause you to become complacent. On any other night, you’d notice someone walking up to your house and spending time there. You’d correctly be suspicious. However, on Halloween, you might not notice this person. An important Halloween home security tip is that you pay attention on Halloween and keep your eyes peeled for trouble.

Criminals Wear Masks Too

On Halloween, you’ll likely encounter a lot of people wearing masks. Many of them will be trick or treaters, but some might be criminals. Not only do criminals take advantage of the day to cause crime, but they also use Halloween to scout out the neighbourhood. Normally, you’d be wary of someone walking down your street in a mask checking out homes but, on Halloween, the behaviour becomes normal. Watch out.

Be Careful Opening your Door

You’ll likely get a lot of knocks on your door on Halloween night. While you’ll likely want to open it up for children and their parents, you don’t want to do the same for a criminal. If someone looks suspicious (such as an adult with no children present) or if it’s very late at night (most trick or treaters don’t knock on doors at 11pm, for example) keep your door shut. This is a Halloween home security tactic that will keep you safe. By following these Halloween home security tips, you can keep your home and your loved ones safe on Halloween night.