How to Protect Your Home Before Going Away on Vacation.
Most thieves, burglars and crooks do not want anyone inside when they are planning their heist or casing a neighborhood. So it will come as no surprise that many offenders will avoid breaking into your house if they think someone is home or that someone will come home while they are still inside. They want to bring as little attention as possible. Noise, lights and disturbances will alert the neighbors, with the police soon to follow. If the thieves are able to enter the residence without anyone noticing and leave just as quite, then they are more likely to get away with your belongings. There are also other precautions we should take prior to leaving on vacation and has nothing to do with crime, its natural occurrences such as power surges and freezing temperatures. Let’s go over the various target hardening precautions you should take prior to leaving for that much needed vacation.
Install security cameras and hire an alarm company
Notify the Police Before You Leave
Avoid Posting About Your Vacation on Social Media
Set Timers on Interior Lights
Exterior Lightning
Secure Valuables
Check Windows and Doors
Arrange for Lawn Care
Stop Mail and Newspaper Delivery
Don’t Hide a Spare Key Nearby
Assessable Tools
Lock garage
Have a Friend and Neighbor Check Your House
Keep Your Car Visible
Shut Off All electronics and Turn Down the Heat/AC.
Here is a quick list of things to do to protect your house before leaving on a vacation:
Here is a quick list of things to do to protect your house before leaving on a vacation:
- Install security cameras and hire an alarm company
- Notify the police before you leave
- Do not post your vacation on or before you leave on social media
- Set timers on interior lights
- Motion sensor or scheduled set exterior lightning
- Secure Valuables
- Check windows and doors right before you leave
- Arrange for lawn care
- Stop mail and newspaper delivery
- Do not leave a spare key hidden near your home
- Do not leave assessable tools such as ladders available to potential thieves
- Lock garage
- Have a neighbor or friend check on your house
- Keep your vehicle visible
- Shut off all electronics and manage the heat/AC.
What to do if your house is broken into while you are away on vacation
Protecting Yourself From Identity Theft After Your Identification Was Compromised During a Break-In
- Credit Report Agencies: Contact the major credit reporting bureaus where you request added precautions (known as freezing your credit) when anyone (hopefully just you) attempts to apply for various resources such as credit cards, bank loans, mortgages or even personal loans.
- Contact banks: Contact the banks in which you are a member of and ask them to cancel the stolen card and have them issue a new one. If any checks were taken you will want to open up an entirely new account as the offenders will now have complete access to your hard-earned money. You can go to the Annual Credit Report for a free credit report.
- Contact the Federal Trade Commission: The Federal Trade Commission helps monitor and identify the needs of Americans and identity theft is one of their top priorities.
- Contact the Social Security Administration: Let them know that your identification has been compromised and that someone may have access to your information including your social security number. The Social Security Administration may issue you a new social security number and can place your information on alert which adds another layer of added protection.
What Happens if a Valuable Item was Taken During the Break-in
Keep Serial Numbers and Model Numbers Handy
Many of the expensive items have serial numbers associated with it and is an extremely important piece of information to share with law enforcement during the investigation. Many times, these offenders do not intend to keep or use your item, rather wish to exchange it for cash where they can feed their habit or buy what they want. There are two main ways of exchanging these stolen items for money, through the black market and pawn shops. Most state laws require pawn shops to document everyone who buys or sells an item. These pawn shops can be used as a way of identifying the offender when the police are able to identify the item through the serial and model numbers. Always keep larger ticket items packaging or receipt with the serial number somewhere safe as you never know when you may accidently leave it inside your vehicle and it is gone the next day.
Take a Picture
Take a picture of your jewelry, watch, artifact, or other priceless/unique item. Some items or jewelry pieces are one of a kind or no longer made and are nearly impossible to identify or describe without a picture. Having a model number to a one-of-a-kind pendant is important, but having a picture of that same pendant will far better serve the ability of law enforcement locating the stolen item. Walking into a pawn shop and looking at every ring for identifiers may be time consuming or fruitless but looking for an exact match using a picture will undoubtedly aid the investigation in your favor.
Why it is Important to Report the Incident to the Police
To-Do-List when Your Home is Broken into and Items Were Taken:
To-Do-List when Your Home is Broken into and Items Were Taken:
- Contact Credit Report Agencies (If Credit cards, social security card, or I.D’s were taken).
- Contact Banks (if bank cards or checks were taken).
- Contact Social Security (if social security card or number was located and visible, even if not taken).
- Contact The Federal Trade Commission (If identity theft is a risk).
- Locate Model and Serial Numbers (if valuable items were taken).
- Take a Picture (prior to being stolen, preferably right when you buy/get it)
- Report to the police (always document through the police).
Conclusion
In conclusion you can use these target hardening strategies to help prevent offenders from breaking into your home. However, it is not a guaranteed and thus any item left in your home will be vulnerable to break-ins. It may serve you well to double check your homes security often by checking locks and lights to make sure they are working correct. Display those security signs and alarms throughout your property and always remember to lock your front door when you leave.