How to Safeguard Your Home from Theft While on Vacation

You have worked hard all year and it's finally here! Your bags are packed, rooms are booked, and your vacation is about to get underway. It's easy to just lock your door without any further thought and rush off on your hard earned get away. But, wait! A relaxing vacation for you can be a golden opportunity to a would be thief. By taking a few simple precautions you can move the target off of your home and ensure that you come back to things just the way you left them.

The best way to stop a burglary from happening to you is to get into the head of the enemy and make things too hard for them to bother. Many thieves lie in wait for an opportunity like you are about to present so try not to make your departure too obvious. Here is a list of things you can do to make the house look more lived in while you are gone and a less likely target.

Arrange for a decoy car: If there are no cars in the driveway for days it is a sure sign the owners are on vacation. Ask a neighbor to park one of their vehicles in your spot while you are out of town.

Don't let papers pile up: Another sign of a vacant home is a week's worth of papers by the front step. It only takes a few minutes to stop delivery on your paper and mail, and it's well worth the effort.

Package deliveries: Try not to schedule any deliveries around the time that you will be away. If this is unavoidable be sure to ask a neighbor to keep an eye out and gather it up for you.

Lighting is everything: A timer for your lights can be purchased for little money at the local Home Improvement store and gives the illusion that the home is inhabited even when it's not.

Spread the word: Let neighbors know that you will be away and when you plan to return. Having extra eyes trained on your home can help alert authorities if anything suspicious does happen.

Fake them out: No time or money to get a fancy home monitoring system? That's ok! Just putting a sign up saying you have one is enough to thwart most thieves. It's a very inexpensive measure and one of the most effective you can employ.

Make your home inhospitable: To intruders anyway. Trim back trees and hedges, be sure all windows are secure, and fix broken locks. Anything you can do to make it harder for a burglar may make them move on to an easier target.

Now that you have done all that you can to help prevent a home invasion from happening to you it's time to go and enjoy that vacation! Leave your cares behind and be secure in the knowledge that your home is as safe as possible. And whatever you do, don't forget the suntan lotion!