subject: Home Security From Santa [print this page] Home Security From Santa Home Security From Santa
Many of us watched the movie, "Home Alone" and laughed at the robbers trying to break in to Kevin's house. While that may be a bit extreme, holiday time is definitely the time to keep closer watch on personal safety and home security. We are busy and leading hectic lives and that is only exacerbated during the holiday season.
Let's start with keeping the front of your house clear. Large lawn ornaments may provide a good hiding place for a robber or someone might just help themselves to those lawn ornaments. You must have a clear view of the front of your house. Keep it simple. You can have fun and not have an open invitation to a robber.
Don't leave delivered packages unattended on your front porch while you are away at work. Ask a neighbor to keep an eye or leave a note for the UPS man to leave the package with a pre-determined neighbor.
The interior of your home can be very enticing for "breaking and entering". Everyone loves to place their Christmas tree in the window. It is not a good idea, however, to have wrapped gifts under the tree visible from any window or door.
Lock all of the doors and windows, even if you are away for just a few minutes. A few minutes is all it takes for a robber to enter and steal all of those perfect, beautiful Christmas gifts.
When leaving for more than a few minutes, make sure the home security system is armed. A home security system will help to deter robbers in the first place.
Check on elderly and isolated neighbors throughout the holidays, making sure they are safe and secure. This is a good time to get to know your neighbors so that you can all keep an eye on each other's homes and share safety tips. If you have a Neighborhood Watch Group organized, have a meeting and just re-alert everyone about what to watch out for during the holidays. You can make the meeting fun by having an ornament or cookie exchange.
When leaving for more than a few minutes, make sure the home security system is armed. If leaving for an extended period of time, alert the neighbors. Also, you may want to alert the local police department to keep a "vacation" watch on your home.
We all think it will never happen to us. Let's be proactive and prepared so that it never does. Don't be a victim this holiday season.
To learn more, get our free "Safe at Home" report.
