The holiday season is in full swing and so are our events calendars. So many people will be leaving their homes empty for the hours at a time to celebrate, and some even days at a time. The holidays after all are about family, and we should be with them celebrating. Getting caught up in the festivities should not make you neglect your home, and all those presents that Santa will be delivering. According to the FBI, a home burglary occurs every 13 seconds in the United States. Did that blow your mind? It blew mine!

It’s very important to prep your home and put safety precautions in place before hitting the road, the airplane, or whatever other means of travel you have in mind. You don’t want to open yourself up to a holiday heartbreak via holiday break-in. Krav Maga Worldwide, the industry leader in self defense and safety, has put together tips for deterring burglars and keeping homes, empty ones especially, safe during the holiday season.

• Landscaping: Remove opportunities for burglars to hide from view by keeping bushes and
trees trimmed. Try to keep these types of plants away from windows where burglars
could use them as cover for breaking and entering.

• Lighting: Install adequate lighting around your home, especially walkways and entry areas.
Motion sensors are highly recommended and can easily scare away an intruder. When away
from home for an extended time period, also consider at least two light timers to turn
on and off in a logical sequence.

• Doors and Locks: Make sure you have sturdy metal or solid-wood doors at all entries into
your home and install well-made deadbolt locks on all exterior doors. Install a dowel or
pin to prevent sliding glass doors from being compromised. If you have a garage, ensure
the overhead garage door has a lock. Do not rely solely on the automatic garage door
opener to secure the area.

• Cameras, Alarms and Other Safety Gadgets: Research hi-tech gadgets that can help monitor
your home while you are away. Cameras, alarms, smart locks and other hi-tech items
can make it tougher for burglars to gain access to your property as well as deter them
from even attempting to break in.

• Neighbors: Inform trusted neighbors that you will be away and ask them to keep an eye out
for suspicious activity around your house. Supply them with a spare key and also ask if
they can collect any mail or packages that are left so that burglars don’t notice the mail
piling up in your absence. If that is not an option, have the post office hold all mail and packages until you
get back.

• Social Media: Be mindful of what you post on social media. It might seem fun and innocent to share with your friends and followers your fun happenings and whereabouts, but that is a red flag to intruders that you aren’t home.

Don’t let any of this scare you, just let it help you prepare to enjoy this holiday season as much as you possibly can! If you want additional information on home and personal safety, check out http://www.kravmaga.com or call 800.572.8624.

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