While movies might portray cat burglarsas fumbling imbeciles, in reallife, robbersare often smart, devoted,and ready to pilfer your belongings
when your homeis ripe with holiday gifts. Studies haveshown that the numbers of home burglaries increase during the holidays in severalstates,
especially sincecriminals knowthatmany families leave hometo enjoy seasonalcelebrations.
1. Don't Be Too Revealing on Social Media
Surprising your family with a trip to an amusement park or tropical destination for the holidays might be fun, but think twice before posting on
social media. Although a combined 63%of people ages 26 to 41 post vacation photos on social media during their trips,a report from ABC
News found that 78%of burglars use social media to case houses and plan robberies.
In addition to learning when people are away, burglars can also find out great information about what they might find in the house, including home
electronics, jewelry,and even recently received gifts. If your posts are public,a simple photo search could divulge all kinds of information about
your home, including your holiday plans.
To stay on the safe side, be very careful about who you choose to add, follow,and let follow you on social media. Never post vacation photos
while you are away or comment about events you plan to attend in the future.
Even signifying your interest in an event could give burglars reason to believe you will be away, so take a few minutes to jot things down on your
personal calendar instead of bookmarking dates publicly.
Additionally, turn off location services tied to your social media accounts, so you won't be pinned places when you are away from home. For
instance, if you have location services on,even heading to that family party a few towns away could show your location to anyone online especially
if your account privacy settings haven't been locked down.
2. Invest In a Video Monitoring System
Criminals don't like home security systems, which is one of the biggest reasons to consider installing one as soon as possible. In addition to
potentially triggering alarms, modern home security systems can also record adverse events in real time, transmitting them to facilities burglars can't
access to destroy tapes.
In a large-scale study that focused on interview answers from convicted burglars, researchers discovered that half of respondents stated that they
would discontinue the attempt,and another 31%said they would consider retreating to avoid problems.
In fact, out of everyone they questioned, only 13%of respondents stated they would go ahead with a home robbery after they discovered a
security system was in place.
In addition to warding off burglary attempts, modern security systems can also help to track down other types of criminal mischief, including
package thieves. Because you can set these systems to start recording as soon as they witness motion, homeowners can learn when packages are
dropped off and find important details about who may have picked up parcels without their consent later.
Although many home owners are nervous about showing off their home security system, having visible cameras present in entry and exit points can
actually help you to protect your property, since they can act as powerful deterrents. Talk with a security system professional to find out which
system is right for your home and howto program the unit to meet your needs.
When you are ready to start taking your home security seriously, give us a call here at All Pro Security, Inc., to start discussing your options. In
addition to offering state-of-the-art home and video monitoring systems, we can also help with intercom networks, fire alarms,and even CCTV
systems for businesses. We love to help families to find customized security solutions, so reach out today.
