Tips to prevent thieves from robbing Christmas joy

The Grinch is not the only one who tries to steal Christmas. From porch pirates to home burglaries, thieves can quickly turn holiday joy into expensive sadness this time of year. Experts from Essential Living offer seven tips for home protection during the holiday season

Invest in a smart security camera. Investing in the best security camera helps you keep your home safe and secure, and gives you peace of mind while you’re out and about. Having one installed captures all footage from around your home and can detect movement and sounds that then will be sent to you by email or app notifications.

Create a layered security system. In addition to having a security camera, create a layered security system with multiple cameras and other smart home gadgets that detect motion. Choose both an outdoor and indoor camera and one of the best video doorbells. Video doorbells give you another field of view outside your house and can capture crucial footage, particularly because the front door tends to be the most broken into area of the house. Another thing to consider is a smart sensor that you can install next to doors and windows around your house to alert you to any strange movements.

Appear to be at home with lighting. Unsurprisingly, burglars don’t want to get caught breaking into your home and stealing your belongings, so they are less likely to target a house if it looks like you are home. The best smart lights are the best way to do this, because you can set schedules for your lights to come on and can quickly switch them on or off with an app while you’re away from home. Ask trusted neighbors to take in any parcels and even park in your driveway when you are away to put off potential intruders.

Photo: video

Lock all doors and windows. This next tip might sound obvious, but takes only one accident to result in someone taking their chance and breaking into your house. Always remember to lock all your doors and windows when you’re out for the day or going away over the holiday period. Do a quick sweep to ensure everything is locked up and keys are removed from windows and doors.

Don’t leave gifts on display. Leaving your Christmas presents under the tree is fun and festive, but it can tempt burglars into breaking in and stealing your gifts. If your Christmas tree is visible from a window, particularly a front window, this can look like a shopping display for burglars scoping out homes to break into. Instead, keep all presents in a secure, hidden location within your house, such as the attic or a cupboard in an upstairs bedroom.

Keep your garden clear and tidy. Winter typically is the time when many of us let our garden run riot, but having an untidy garden can be very tempting to burglars. This is because thieves look for escape routes and hiding spots when deciding which homes to break into, making gardens with high, overgrown hedges more likely to be targeted,. To avoid this, make sure to keep your garden a tidy by trimming the hedges and locking up any tools that could assist a burglar, such as ladders or spades.

Avoid posting on social media. Finally, be careful what you are posting on social media during the Christmas season, particularly if you are going away for the holidays. With so much information available and accessible online, burglars can find social media accounts from your name and address, and it’s not uncommon for people to be burglarized by people who know them, whether through extended friends or the local area.

–Alan Goforth | MV