Preventing Burglaries

Are you or your family leaving town for business or vacation?  If so, please consider following some of these effective measures to protect your home:

• Don't advertise to criminals that you are gone.  Facebook and Twitter are not the place to post the fact that you are skiing at Whistler or laying on the beach in the Bahamas.  If you must post photos of your trip, do it AFTER you return home!
• Make sure all the locks on the doors and windows function properly and USE THEM!
• Leave the shades and blinds on doors and windows in a position that you would normally have them.
• Ask several neighbors to keep an eye on your residence while you are away.  Leave your vacation address and phone number with the neighbors so you can be reached in case of an emergency.
• Make sure your smoke and burglar alarms are functioning properly and armed.
• Make sure your alarm company has an emergency contact (friend or family member) who can respond to your residence if necessary.
• Arrange for a neighbor to pick up all your deliveries: Mail, newspaper and any other packages you are expecting.
• Arrange to have someone maintain your yard so your home appears occupied if you are going to be gone for an extended period.
• Have someone place your garbage cans at the curb for you and bring them in after pickup.
• Set timers for lights, television and radios so they turn on and off at normal times.
• If possible, forward your home phone calls to your cell phone.
• Leave a normal message on your answering machine or service, do not announce you are away!
• Ask a neighbor to park in your driveway so it appears someone is home.
• Consider taking valuables to a safe deposit box rather than leaving them in your home.