Home Security for Travellers: Prevent Break-Ins While You’re Away Home Security by Amy Trotter - December 30, 2016December 30, 2016 Home Security for Travellers: Prevent Break-Ins While You’re Away Holidays are always a ton of fun and a great way to get a break from your daily hustle. However, being away for an extended period of time makes your home more vulnerable to break-ins. With a few easy steps, you can ensure that your belongings stay safe so you can have some peace of mind and truly enjoy your time! Phone a Friend If you’re familiar with your neighbors and trust them, let them know when you’ll be leaving and ask them to keep an eye on your home. They will be extra alert and if anything suspicious does happen and will be able to notify you and the authorities. Just be sure to tell them when you’re coming home, so they don’t think you’re an intruder! If you aren’t close to your neighbors, ask a friend who lives nearby if he/she could check in every couple of days. Shine Some Light on It Lights are very effective for warding off would-be thieves. By equipping a motion sensor light near the entrances to your home, you attract attention from the whole neighborhood. Having the light go off once won’t raise any flags, but seeing it turn on and off multiple times will definitely be effective. Additionally, invest in a timer light that will simulate you being home. Image – static.pexels.com Security First One of the most effective ways to prevent a burglary is with a security system. This sounds obvious, but you would be surprised how many people don’t use their systems! Ensure that everything is working before you leave and lock the house up. Modern technology even allows for you to monitor your system from your phone. According to The New York Times, having a security system go off helps reduce the amount of items that a burglar will attempt to steal. Return to Sender Having a mailbox or front door that’s loaded with mail is an obvious sign that there’s nobody home to pick it up. Thieves look for signs like this and will monitor your home more carefully to be sure. Call your post office and put a hold on your mail to prevent your house from standing out. Don’t worry, you’ll receive all of your mail at one time once the hold is over. This also works for newspapers! Bonus: Shovel for Safety This tip only really works if you live in an area that snows, and if it’s actually during the snowy season. If you know any younger kids that are looking to make some money, offer to pay them to shovel snow from your driveway a few times while you’re away. Having a shoveled driveway will keep up appearances and lower the chances of your home being targeted. There’s nothing worse than coming home from a great vacation to find that your favorite jewelry or valuable electronics have been stolen, and there’s no reason for you not to be taking these easy steps to protect it. Whether it’s obvious steps or something more subtle like an electrical outlet spy camera, plan ahead for a better vacation and a safer home! About Author Amy Trotter has been experimenting with safety technology for years. She believes that protecting yourself shouldn’t be a challenge.