Summer vacation season has arrived, and if you’re like millions of Americans, you’re thinking about getting away from it all for a few days or maybe even a few weeks. While you’re out and about, it’s nice to know your home is safe and sound, awaiting your arrival. But while summer vacation may spell rest and relaxation for you, for burglars, summer is one of their busiest seasons.
Burglars know more homes are left empty and unattended during the summer than at any other time of the year. For them, the summer months are the ideal time to ply their craft, and they tend to ramp up their surveillance activities to look for clues that indicate homeowners are away on vacation.
The best way to prevent break-ins while you’re on vacation is to take time before you hit the road to make sure your home looks lived in and is well protected against burglary. Here’s a quick “to-do” list to help you keep your home safe and sound while you’re away:
- Use timers to turn lights on and off at different times during the day. Some remote timers let you control them from your smartphone so you can vary the times when lights – or even TVs – are turned on and off so it looks very much like someone is inside.
- If you have a landline, turn off the ringer. A phone that rings without being answered is a powerful clue no one’s home.
- Do NOT post your plans on social media – burglars have computers too, and they keep a sharp eye out for people posting their vacation plans to friends and families online.
- Be mum about your plans to coworkers and others as well. Talk about your plans a “need-to-know” basis to prevent word leaking out to strangers.
- If you have trustworthy neighbors, enlist them to keep an eye on your property. If they have an extra car, ask them to use your driveway when parking, or if your own car is in the driveway, consider asking them to move its position once in awhile.
- Keep valuable jewelry or other small items in a safe deposit box or safely tucked away inside the home in hard-to-spot locations not likely to be searched, like an old cereal box or wrapped in foil in the freezer.
- Update your alarm system and consider installing a remote camera monitoring system that lets you see your home from anywhere there’s an internet connection. Some systems even alert you if the electricity goes out or a pipe springs a leak. And thanks to advances in technology, even the most advanced systems are surprisingly affordable.
To be super safe, it’s also a good idea to make sure your insurance coverage is “fine-tuned” to reflect your needs, including coverage for your valuable possessions that may not be included in your homeowners policy. Before leaving on your next vacation, give Atlantic Pacific a call and let us review your coverage so you can enjoy your vacation with greater peace of mind.
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