What Would You Do with $1,725? What Would You Do If You Lost It?

My mother once told me of a time when she was young and her family had been away from their house for a week or so. Upon returning home they were horrified to find that some individuals had broken into their house and robbed them of what few valuable items they had. They were even more disturbed to realize that the invaders had actually lived there for a time, eating their food and sleeping in their beds. My mom told me about how violated her and her family felt and how insecure they felt in that house and community up until the time they eventually moved from that neighborhood.

According to the FBI's website, "In 2005, law enforcement agencies reported an estimated 2,154,126 burglary offenses." This accounted for 21.2 percent of the total estimated number of property crimes, with an average loss per burglary offense of $1,725.

If you have ever left your home on vacation or for a work trip and not worried a little that someone might break in to your house, you either haven't given the subject much thought, are lucky enough to be one of the very few people who live somewhere without crime (please do tell where you live), or may need to consider having the doctor back off your medication just a bit.

Regardless of your situation, the easy security tips below will help make your home more secure while you are away, allowing you to have greater peace of mind and a decreased chance of nasty surprises waiting for you once you return.

Would-be criminals aren't particularly keen on getting caught. They know that if they break into your home while you are away there is a smaller chance of them being apprehended and convicted of the crime. Consequently, they look for indicators that you are not at home and won't be returning while they are robbing you of your valuable belongings. If you can reduce the number of indicators broadcasting the fact that you might be away, you will subsequently decrease your chance of being victimized.

DON'T ADVERTISE YOUR ABSENCE

Never leave a note on your door for a delivery person or anyone else you are expecting stating that you are away and when you will return. This is an open invitation for criminals in which you assure them they will not be bothered during the performance of their illegal activities.

HOLD THE MAIL

If you will be gone for more than a day or two, have the post office hold your mail (a free service). Since most people collect their mail on a daily basis, a bulging mailbox is a fair indicator that you are not around. On the same note, ask the newspaper delivery person to hold delivery until you return or ask a trusted neighbor to pick them up for you.

AUTOMATE

Invest in a few electrical outlet timers to turn equipment such as the television, radio, and lights on and off at random intervals as though the house was still occupied. Also, if applicable, set your sprinklers on a timer and have them go off at slightly different times. If the variable time feature is not, just having them go off at all on a timer will help give the illusion that someone is at home to water.

CONTRACT YARD UPKEEP

If you will be gone for a long time, arrange for someone trusted to cut your lawn or shovel the walk depending on the season. An unkempt yard is yet another indicator of an abandoned home.

ASK FOR HELP

For extended trips, ask a neighbor to occasionally park in your driveway. While we're on the subject of neighbors, it's always a good idea to give a house key to a trusted neighbor in case you remember you left the stove on, forgot to feed the family pet, or some emergency comes up requiring access to your home.

AIR CONDITIONING UNITS

Consider removing window air conditioning units on the ground floor level or other locations that offer an easier entry point for access to your house.

CALL THE POLICE!

For extended absences, many local police departments will offer some sort of drive by service where a patrolman will occasionally drive past your house and look for signs that something is wrong. Give your local department a call and see if they have something similar.

OTHER TIPS

For additional security information that is applicable whether you are at home or away, check out my article on general home security tips. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/646399/how_to_increase_home_and_personal_security.html>.

The bottom line is this - even if your home is 100% insured, there is no insurance company in existence that can fully restore the lost sense of security you will feel after being burglarized. The only way to come out ahead or just break even is to do what you can to stop the crime before it is committed.