Vacation is a time for relaxation and enjoyment. It can also be the time for crime victimization if appropriate crime prevention measures are not followed. The following crime prevention tips are designed to allow the vacationer to enjoy a safe and secure trip and to return to a secure residence.
Before Leaving . . . . Secure Your Residence
· Have good locks on all doors and windows and use them.
· Make sure your residence looks lived in, not empty.
· Leave shades and blinds in a normal position.
· Ask a neighbor to watch your residence while you are away. Leave your vacation address
and telephone number with a neighbor so you can be reached in case of an emergency.
· Test your smoke and burglar alarms.
· Stop all deliveries, arrange for a neighbor to pick up your mail, newspaper and packages.
· Arrange for someone to mow your lawn, rake leaves and maintain the yard to give the
home a lived-in look.
· Have a neighbor place garbage cans at the curb on your normal pickup day(s) and return them after the garbage pickup is made.
· Plug in timers to turn lights and a radio or television on and off at appropriate times.
· Turn the bell or ringer on your telephone down low. If a burglar is around, he won’t be alerted to your absence by a ringing telephone.
· If you have call forwarding on your telephone, forward your calls to a trusted friend or relative.
· Don’t announce your absence on answering machine messages; leave your normal
message on the machine.
· Engrave your valuables with your driver’s license number.
· Close and lock garage doors and windows. Ask a neighbor to occasionally park in your driveway. If you leave your car at home, park it as you normally would. Vehicles parked outside should be moved occasionally to appear that they are being used.
· Consider taking valuables to a bank safety deposit box.
No comments:
Post a Comment