The festive period is a busy time of year. Between family visits, present wrapping, and general merriment – it’s easy to become complacent when it comes to home safety. As the evenings draw in and our homes are left empty more frequently, it’s the perfect time for criminals to strike. Unfortunately, we see this every year with a spike in winter break-ins, but there are steps that you can take to secure your home and reduce the risk of break-ins this Christmas.
Staying safe in your home over Christmas
Lock your doors and windows
This one seems obvious, but an unlocked door is Christmas come early for burglars and the truth is, we’ve all done it. Stay vigilant and ensure all your doors and windows are locked securely before leaving your home. For added safety, any ladders or tools that burglars would find useful for a break-in should also be securely locked away with a padlock. Let’s not make it easy for them.
Secure your house keys
Burglars weren’t born yesterday and they know all the tricks! They also know the easiest way to gain access to a home is through the front or back door, and they’re quick to look under a rock or a mat just in case you’ve left a spare key lying around. A general rule of thumb should be never to leave keys (your house or car keys for that matter) lying around in plain view, many people leave them in a bowl within close proximity to the door, this is something to avoid as burglars have been known to try and reach the keys through a letterbox or window. Ensure any spare house keys are out of sight and a good tip is to make sure a trusted neighbour has a spare key for emergencies.
Don’t advertise holidays abroad on social media
It’s tempting to post about the magical time you’re having on your Christmas holidays, but by doing this, the information becomes freely available and can be used against you by criminals on the prowl for vacant homes. If you’re
lucky enough to be getting away over the festive period, take a mountain of photographs, just wait till your return to post them online. Living in the moment is more fun anyway!
Consider a timer for your house lights and install an alarm
Half the battle of home security is making it look like your home is occupied. Timers for your outside/indoor lights are perfect for this and when set to go off at different times it will make your home look like there is someone in it at all times. Another important point that goes hand in hand with lights is an alarm system, having a competent alarm system is not only an important step for securing your home’s safety, but it also acts as a deterrent to potential burglars as well as providing you with peace of mind. Shutterstock / Chiyacat
Keep valuables out of sight
Yes, we’re talking about under the Christmas tree. Although it’s a tradition, it’s important to make sure valuable are out of sight, and that means finding another place for your presents to live. It’s a simple fact that there are more high-value items in our homes during the festive period and burglars are well aware of this. They’ll go for the presents first, so it’s good to consider keeping them secure while in your home so they can be enjoyed by who they’re meant for.
With Allianz Home Insurance, your contents cover automatically increases by 10% in the months of December and January, to allow for those special purchases.
Allianz p.l.c. is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. Standard acceptance criteria and policy conditions apply.
Information correct as of date of publishing.
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