WHETHER you are going away for the Easter holidays or just spending a few quiet days at home relaxing, remember, holiday season is a prime time for burglars to strike.
Blue Security operations manager Brian Jackson said it was important to secure your home before going away, and advised home owners to avoid the temptation to brag about holiday plans and itineraries on social media sites.
“The problem is that you don’t have complete control over who views your posts on social media sites and it can be dangerous to share your family’s plans such as the location and how long you’ll be away on sites like Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare and Google Plus,” he said.
He said sharing plans online can be dangerous as people were potentially telling criminals they would not be home.
When securing your home, Jackson advised home owners to ensure the exterior and interior of their homes are lit at night.
“Burglars love to operate under the shadow of darkness. A dark house with no movement during the day and no lights switched on at night is a clear indication to criminals that your home is unoccupied and an easy target,” he said.
He said residents could buy an affordable timer at a hardware store and set the lights to turn on and off at certain times in rooms the family usually occupies at night.
“Consider investing in a timer to turn on the television or the radio at set times to further create the illusion that there is someone at home,” he said.
Jackson advised residents to ask a trusted friend or neighbour to pick up the post and any newspaper deliveries. He also suggested they test their alarm systems before going on holiday. He said that upgrading a home security system to include CCTV surveillance camera remote access monitoring, provided additional peace of mind during the holidays.
“With remote access monitoring you can check in on your home using your tablet or laptop from wherever you may be in the world,” he said.
He added house-sitters and domestic staff should also be briefed on how to correctly switch on the alarm system and cautioned about the importance of not allowing access to meter readers and repairmen, without first checking identification.
“Armed robbers wearing blue overalls sometimes pose as water and electricity meter readers and repairmen to gain access onto a property before holding up home owners. It’s important to ensure that your house-sitter and domestic worker have been given a proper security brief regarding your home,” he said.
