10 common sense holiday home security tips

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It’s that time of year where burglars are casing out homes to rob, so at a minimum make sure you have strong quality door locks such as Schlage’s Touchscreen Deadbolt.   Sounds crazy but burglars have families too, and they’d rather steal than pay for gifts to give to them. Here’s how to protect your home.

5H#1. If you have an alarm system, make sure that its stickers or lawn signs are clearly visible to any potential unwelcome visitor.

#2. Make your house look occupied when you’re not there by using automatic timers for various lights, and leaving a TV on.

#3. It’s best to ignore solicitors at your door; they can be a crook wanting to case your home (interior and exterior) for a possible return later to burglarize.

#4.When purchasing items to be delivered to your house, arrange delivery to coincide with your presence. A big package left on a stoop is very enticing to thieves.

#5. Rethink making a pile of gifts under the Christmas tree visible to people outside; a burglar casing your house will be very tempted to break in.

#6.To conceal your ownership of new, high price items such as a large flat screen TV, break down the boxes these items came in so that they can be hidden inside your trash container.

#7. Instruct your kids never to reveal your travel plans with their friends, including online. In fact, refrain from sharing your travel plans yourself in cyberspace.

#8. Put your mail and newspaper delivery on vacation hold. Have a trusted friend watch out for your house however they can, such as parking their car in the driveway.

#9. Inform the local police you’ll be absent; give them the contact information for the friend who’ll be looking out for your house.

#10. Have a dog? Rather than kennel it, arrange to have someone come by often enough to pet sit, so that if a prowler comes by, the dog will be there to bark.

Robert Siciliano home security expert to Schlage discussing home security and identity theft on TBS Movie and a Makeover. Disclosures. For Roberts FREE ebook text- SECURE Your@emailaddress -to 411247.