It's not unusual for a home to be burglarized while the owners are away on vacation, but there are ways to prevent that from happening to you. A few simple precautions and some high-tech additions will give you peace of mind while you're away from home, whether you're just at your office or cruising the Caribbean.
Don't make your home a tempting target.
You should not advertise your stuff. According to Lifehacker, home burglars sometimes walk or drive through neigborhoods first to look for homes that are worth breaking into. Avoid leaving trash or boxes on the curb before leaving the house. If you have a box for an HDTV left outside for trash pick up, it's like telling the burglars "there is something worth stealing inside this house."
Don't advertise the fact that you're not home.
If you're going away for vacation, arrange it so that your house won't look empty. Newspapers scattered in the front yard are sometimes clear indication that nobody's home and burglars will take note of that. So stop your newspaper delivery while you're away or ask your neighbor to pick them up for you. As them to remove flyers left on your porch or door as well. Have a trusted neighbor to pick up your mail or you can use a locking mailbox to prevent someone from peeking inside. Make sure your blinds and curtains are closed but use lights on timers to make the house look like it's occupied, MSN Real Estate states. You can also try having a radio or TV on a timer to create the illusion that someone is at home. Make your home look occupied to discourage burglars from looking too closely whether your home is empty or not.
Protect yourself from future loss.
There are burglars who may not be that interested in jewelry and your TV set, but will likely go for your personal financial information instead. Avoid leaving credit card and bank statements on a desk or your kitchen counter to prevent those information to be used in identity fraud. This is also very important when it comes to your children's identities.
Try and apply some high-tech home protection.
"No-tech" solutions to home security, like locking doors and windows and barking dogs, are still very much effective, some homeowners are now looking into the smart home concept. With this new high-tech approach to the security of your home, you can control and monitor areas of your home even when you're away. You can even check the status of your security system using mobile apps or your laptop. If you have motion detectors installed, as well as security cameras, you will be sent text messages or e-mails if someone should trigger them.
