Christmas Safety Tips

Merry Christmas to all!

The season of joy and family is finally upon us and we’re all looking forward to spending time with loved ones to celebrate the reason for the season.

Well, this is a security blog so, I intend to give you some Christmas security tips and advice. Not to bring you down but so that you can enjoy the holidays without worrying about suffering a crime this season. As I stress in my presentations, we live in a different world today. Crooks know that many people (future victims), still live in the old times and the crooks will quickly use that weakness to their advantage.

It’s extremely disheartening and frustrating to get your house broken into and have your possessions stolen. It’s even worse to have that happen during the holidays, so I’m putting this advice out now in the hopes that you will take it to heart and not become a victim.

 

As you read this, crooks everywhere are fully aware that everyone is loading up with gifts and nice things for Christmas and already planning to make their moves. They know that many people are out of town for the holidays and already have a list of potential houses to break into. So, what are you doing to prevent that from happening?

If you’re staying home:

* After presents are opened, mark larger expensive things like TVs, stereos, instruments, and other valuables with invisible ink pens. This will make recovery of your belongings easier for police if they are stolen. Use you’re a code such as the first four letters of your last name and last four numbers of your driver’s license or address on the back or bottom of your property, the ink glows under black light.

*Use your home alarm system and any other security measure, even when you’re home.

*Wait to dispose of wrapping paper and packaging from expensive gifts. Store them in the garage until trash pickup day. It might seem convenient, but taking your trash out too soon, gives the bad guys time to see what goodies are in your house.

*Avoid announcing expensive gifts received on social media. Thieves use social media too, but for nefarious purposes.

* when leaving the house, leave a radio or television on to give the appearance that someone is home.

 

If going out of town:   See the Location and Time Texts / ICE post on this blog site.

* Before leaving, hide valuables like jewelry and expensive item in a cereal box or other container in the kitchen.

* Be sure to remove any “hidden keys” you may have hidden outside.

*Have a trusted neighbor or family member remove any flyers from your door, pick up the mail and newspapers from the driveway.

* Apply some fake alarm system decals if you can’t afford a real one.

* When loading a car with suitcases, keep it quick and hidden if possible. Don’t announce to passers by that you’re leaving.

* Consider, covering your garage door windows with some type of covering. Crooks will sometimes peek in to see if your car is there. You can also attach a C clamp on the door rail to prevent the door from being opened from the outside with a hook or frequency scanner.

* If you have a land line phone at home, forward it to your cell phone. Crooks posing as “service reps or utility workers use this tactic to very if the home is occupied or not.

* Some cities have a police patrol program where officer will cruise by your home during their routine patrols while you’re gone, check with your local police.

* Mark larger expensive things like TVs, stereos, instruments, and other valuables with invisible ink pens. This will make recovery of your belongings easier for police if they are stolen. Use you’re a code such as the first four letters of your last name and last four numbers of your driver’s license or address on the back or bottom of your property, the ink glows under black light.

* A $30 – 40 product like the FTV- 10, 11 can save you hundreds or thousands of dollars by preventing a break in and sparing you from heartbreak and frustration.   http://faketv.com/

Remember, most thieves don’t have real jobs like you and I, so they have the time to look for easy scores. Too often, victims make it too easy for them by not taking the simplest of security measures.  Thieves actually believe that if they can get your stuff, it’s your fault for not securing it properly. Their mentality is that everyone for themselves and too bad for the ignorant victim who still doesn’t realize this. Yeah, it’s cruel, but it’s also reality.

Feliz Navidad!