While the holidays are a great time to spend with your loved ones, this also means that home burglaries are on the rise. After all, the FBI says that there are over 400,000 burglaries that take place over the holiday season. With that said, here are a few tips to help you and your belongings stay safe during the holidays:
- Keep your gifts out of view
The sight of a pile full of gifts under the Christmas tree is a wonderful thing. It’s also very attractive to potential burglars who may be scoping out homes to break into. After all, who wouldn’t want to take home a pile of gifts? This is why you should place your gifts in an area that isn’t visible from the outside. That way, you remove the temptation from prying eyes.
- Keep your home well-lit
Thieves and burglars thrive in darkness. If they can’t be seen, they can easily slip in and out of your home and no one will suspect a thing. If your house is well-lit, you greatly reduce the chances of becoming a burglar’s next target. Be sure to install motion-activated lights to the exterior of your home to alert you of any suspicious activity.
- Be careful with throwing away packaging
It’s easy to get caught up when you receive gifts during the holidays. Sometimes, people get so caught up that they forget about properly disposing their packaging. If you leave your opened packages out on the curb, you’re advertising to the world about the things you’ve received. Burglars will be on the lookout of what people throw away, and if they see the box of something worthwhile, they just might break into your home and leave with a brand new gaming system. So while throwing away your boxes that you no longer need, be sure to keep them in a garbage bag, or better yet, drop them off at a dumpster yourself.
- Be cautious of door-to-door donation groups
The holiday season is a time for giving, and who wouldn’t want to donate a couple dollars to a foundation for people who are down on their luck? Unfortunately, there are people who are willing to take advantage of the situation, and it is becoming more difficult to determine who’s a legitimate organization and who’s trying to scam you out of a couple dollars. Avoid giving out any personal information or any information regarding your schedule, as these people might be criminals trying to survey who will be home and who won’t be during the day. Also, don’t give any money to people who don’t have proper credentials.
- Hire a community security officer
While it is important to be aware and vigilant, it is also important to spend time with your loved ones. Approach your homeowner’s association about contacting Apex Security to hire a community security officer, as it is a great solution to make sure that your holiday season stays safe and worry-free.
The holiday season is a joyful, yet busy, time. It is important to stay alert. Follow these holiday safety tips and you will greatly reduce the chances of becoming a victim. Happy holidays!
Apex Security has been serving as Orlando, Tampa, and Kissimmee security guard experts since 2002. For Kissimmee, Tampa, or Orlando security officer services call Apex Security at (407) 846-1435.