Skip to main content

IS YOUR HOME SAFE WHEN YOU GO ON VACATION

or many people, summer means vacation and a vacation can mean leaving your home for a longer period of time than usual.
Many people who go on vacation wonder if their house will be safe while they are away. When you go on vacation, the last thing you want is a phone call telling you that your house was robbed- or even worse- coming back from vacation and discovering damage and loss. Here are some tips for securing your home.
  • Before you leave, check every door and window to make sure that everything is locked and sealed, including your garage door, shed, and basement windows. Also, make sure that you have no spare keys lying around that are "hidden" under a mat or under a rock. Burglars know where to look and a key gives them easy access. If you have a sliding window or door, put a piece of wood or a long metal rod on the track so that it can't be pushed open.
  • Set timers on lights outside of your house. The darker it is outside your house, the more appealing it is going to be for burglars because they cannot be seen. Also, timers help give the impression that someone is home.
  • Make sure that your newspapers and mail are picked up or put on hold. If papers and mail are piled up outside your house, it is obvious that someone has not been home for a while.
  • Leave some blinds or drapes open. If your house is completely closed off, it is going to look like no one is there. If you make it appear more normal, it is less obvious that you are away.
  • Arrange to have a trusted family member, neighbour or friend to check on your home. Even if it means having them going into the house to water the plants, they can take a peek around to make sure that everything is okay.
  • Going on a vacation is an excellent reminder to ensure you have an updated inventory of household goods which may include appliances, jewellery, firearms, and other valued items.
  • If you have any cash, jewellery, or any other valuables in your home, take them out and put them in a safety deposit box. It costs money for this service, but it is far better than if someone were to break into your home and find your valuables.
  • If you are a firearms owner, please ensure you secure and store all firearms in accordance with the Firearms Act and Regulations.
  • Set timers on electronics inside your house. Put one on a lamp or even a radio. If someone is watching your home and sees that there is no activity going on inside your house, it is a clear indicator that you are not home.
  • Make sure that your home security system is on. Don't forget to tell your friend or family member the code so that they do not set off the alarm when they check on your home.  
A vacation is supposed to be a relaxing time. There is no reason why you should have to spend time worrying about the safety of your home, as long as you make sure to take the necessary precautions.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Suspected homosexual caught pants down while trying to sleep with young boy in Edo State

                    A suspected homosexual identified as Daniel has been apprehended just after he tried penetrating a boy from behind in Benin, Edo State. According to reports, the suspected homosexual was beaten mercilessly and stripped naked, after his victim’s elder sister caught him red handed and raised an alarm. The alleged bus conductor in Benin who confessed that this wasn’t his first time of having homosexual sex with a young boy, further disclosed that he had slept with three young boys in Warri, Delta state. Recall that few months ago, the Delta State police command confirmed the arrest of two male teachers of a secondary school (names withheld) in Agbor, who were allegedly involved in homosexuality. It was gathered that the teachers allegedly ruined the lives of some students in the school, a popular male secondary school. According to the father of one of the students, (name withheld), t...

Senegal seeks to move huge ammonium nitrate stock from Dakar port

Dakar Senegalese officials say they have asked for 2,700 tonnes of ammonium nitrate - the chemical which caused a huge explosion in Beirut - to be removed from Dakar. The amount in Dakar's port, which is near residential areas, is nearly as much as was in the Lebanese capital. Officials say the chemical is part of a 3,050-tonne consignment destined for neighbouring Mali. Port officials say 350 tonnes has already been transported there. The government says the owner of the consignment has asked to store the chemical in a warehouse at Diamniadio, about 30km (20 miles) from Dakar. But the ministry of environment has not yet approved the request, saying the site has not met all the required conditions, including carrying out an environmental and social impact study. "We have asked the owner to make arrangements so that the product can be transported outside Senegal," one of the ministry officials Baba Drame told the AFP news agency. It is not clear who the owner of the consig...

Widow calls on police to arrest her husband's killers

  A bereaved wife has begged the police to arrest her husband's killers.   Aderonke Balogun, 25, narrated how her husband, Sulaimon Ajayi, was rushed to a hospital following an attack on him. He was later discharged but was admitted again when he developed complications. He died days later in the hospital.   Trouble began when members of Ijegemo-Omilende community in Ado-Odo area of Ogun state woke up to find the mutilated body of a young man who was murdered and some of his body parts carted away by an unknown person.   They decided to form a vigilante group to guard the community. Unfortunately, in their efforts to secure the community, another person, Sulaimon Ajayi, was killed after some hoodlums led by a resident of the community attacked their vigilante group on 5th of August at about 11:55 pm.   Recounting what happened, Sulaimon’s younger brother, Dauda Ajayi, who was at the scene of the incident, said: "I was with my brother on the day of...