Coming back from a holiday to a home that’s been broken into can ruin the entire trip. Morgan Murphy from Southern Living recently offered these tips for securing your home before you go on vacation.<\/p>\n
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- Make sure all your doors and windows are locked and that the alarm system is armed.<\/li>\n
- Suspend newspaper and mail delivery, or have someone pick it up for you.<\/li>\n
- Don’t post your name on the mailbox — it makes it easier for a thief to find your home number and call to see if you’re home.<\/li>\n
- Give your local police department the dates that you’ll be gone. Many police departments will step up patrols by your house.<\/li>\n
- Don’t change your answering machine message to say, “I’m out of town.” Instead, say “I can’t get to the phone right now; I’m feeding the dog, Fang.”<\/li>\n
- Leave the curtains, blinds and cars as you normally do when you’re home.<\/li>\n
- Leave a radio on; most break-ins occur during daylight hours.<\/li>\n
- Don’t put a house key under the mat or in one of those fake rocks; give it to a trusted neighbor instead.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n