Don't Invite Trouble

General Tips

• Be cautious about letting strangers know your daily routine or vacation plans.
• If rooms in your home are clearly visible from the street, make sure that no valuables are in plain sight. Many burglars are not professionals, just people tempted by what they see.
• Burglars read newspapers, so never include your address in a classified ad.
• Announce social events and vacations after they happen, not before.
• If there's a death in the family, arrange for a house sitter on the day of the funeral.

Tips for When You're Going Away

• Contact your local police department and inform them when you'll be gone. Fill out a vacation home check so police can make periodic checks.
• Stop all deliveries or arrange for a neighbor to pick them up.
• Arrange for someone to mow your lawn, shovel snow, etc. to make your house look like it's being lived in.
• Turn radios and lamps on at different times.
• Hide garbage cans inside; empty cans can be a clue that you're away.
• Turn the ringer on your phone down.
• Make sure all windows and doors are locked and secure.
• Leave emergency numbers with a neighbor in case of an emergency.
• Make arrangements with trusted friends or family to pick up your mail and newspapers on a daily basis.