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7 tips to help prevent theft during the holidays

“We live on the most boring street in the whole United States of America, where nothing even remotely dangerous will ever happen.”

– Buzz McCallister, Home Alone

Planning on traveling for the year-end holidays? Insurance claims tend to peak toward the end of the year, mostly due to holiday travels and all of the valuable gifts left behind at home. By following these mischief-deferring tips, you can protect yourself and your belongings this holiday season.

1. Lock it up. In other words, hide the bundle of toys. The festive frenzy of opening presents is often followed by hopping in the car to visit extended family and friends. Instead of placing the opened gifts back under the tree as a holiday shrine, it’s best to place your gifts and holiday cash out of sight. A safer place is in your car’s trunk, a lockbox, or a hidden secure place inside your home. Let intruders and burglars believe the Grinch stole Christmas before they have the chance to. 
2. Install deadbolts. These handy, inexpensive locks add a valuable layer of security. Today, deadbolts can be mechanical or digital, but both traditional and smart deadbolts will do the trick when it comes to creating stronger resistance to intruders. 
3. Reinforce sliding doors. Measure the space of the track and cut a metal or wooden rod as a brace. Your sliding door will be extra secure in case the lock is compromised. 
4. Keep doors locked. Fortify your winter wonderland by double-checking that all the doors and windows are locked, including the door to the garage. Many thieves use universal garage door openers to gain access into empty homes, so it’s best to keep valuables out of the garage area. The peace of mind that comes with having an alarm system is also worth the investment. 
5. Use timers. Anytime you leave your house for an extended period of time, it’s wise to “keep up appearances” so to speak. That means making things look like you never left. Simply keeping a few random lights on can work, but to be convincing, we recommend using automatic light timers. Connected home security systems, with smart plugs, switches, and light bulbs, can be controlled from an app on your phone. No matter your budget or comfort level with technology, there’s a solution for everyone. 
6. Block prying eyes. Close your blinds and curtains while you are away—simple enough. Also, make sure there aren’t any boxes or packages of high-priced items like computers or TVs in your trash or on the curb for everyone to see. This also goes for shopping bags, receipts, packages, and gift-wrapping. 
7. Mum’s the word. Burglars are getting good at using social media to find out when people aren’t home. Keep these details under wraps, so you can enjoy unwrapping your gifts and all the holiday magic this year. 

For information purposes only and may not be applicable to all situations.