Tips On Preventing Holiday Break-ins

Will you be leaving your home unattended for extended hours during the holidays?  Are you perhaps planning on being away on holiday travel?  If so, be aware that the holiday season in particular is prime time for home burglaries, most particularly in North Shore communities.  In Wilmette, the closer you reside to the Linden El station, the Metra Train stops, or the Wilmette expressway interchange, the higher is your risk, as these are quick and easy points of entry to and egress from Wilmette by would be thieves.

Empty homes are inviting homes for burglars.  And, thieves don’t need much time to do their work.  Depending on how easy you make it for burglar entry, it can take as little time as several minutes to well less than an hour for thieves to strip your home bare of substantial amounts of jewelry, silverware, cameras, TVs, paintings, and other expensive items.  Often too, a homeowner can lose precious irreplaceable heirlooms.

All of this says nothing of the far greater emotional toll that can potentially surface after experiencing a home break-in; a sense of distraught, anger and fear at having one’s private family refuge breached by thieves.
Planning home security can make a big difference in thwarting break-ins.  Here are some simple tips to help keep your home safe and burglar-free during the holidays.

1. If you have a home security system, be sure to set the alarm before leaving the house, even if you are only going to be away from the house for a short time such as running an errand to a Wilmette grocery store, post office, doing some Wilmette shopping, jogging around the block, or having a short visit with a friend.  A security system that monitors entry doors and windows, as well as providing motion detection provides the best type of security monitoring.
   
   
2. Whether you have a home security system or not, be sure that all of your doors and windows are closed and locked when leaving the house for any appreciable period of time.
   
   
3. If you don’t have a home security system, consider investing in one.  Contact a Wilmette electrician to find out what types of security systems they offer and/or service.
   
   
4. If you are putting up a Christmas tree or celebrating Chanukah wherein gifts might be displayed, take care in not leaving wrapped or unwrapped gifts exposed in open view from windows or windowed doors as an invitation to a burglar’s entry.
   
   
5. Leave on a radio or TV if only being out for a short time and use timers to turn them on and off while you are away for longer periods.
   
   
6. If you are planning on being away for an extended time such as for several hours, or the day, or going on a holiday trip for a few days be sure to set the home security alarm, check to assure that all windows and doors are locked before you leave, and outfit your house with light timers that will allow you to set lights to turn on and off at appropriate varying times dependent upon the rooms being lighted.
   
   
7. When going out of town, notify your local Wilmette police that you will be away from your house.  Provide them with the time and date of your departure and return, so they will be able to provide regular patrol monitoring service for your home while you are away.
   
   
8. Be sure to let a trusted neighbor(s) know when and where you will be away.  Provide them, or a nearby relative with a key for access to your home if needed, and a phone number and location where you can be contacted in case of an emergency at your home while you are away.
   
   
9. Ask your trusted neighbor to take in any newspaper, mail, or package deliveries while you are away and hold them till you return, or, better yet, arrange to have all your mail held at the Wilmette Post Office until your return date, and stop all newspaper delivers during your travel dates.  Your neighbor will still need to keep their eyes open for any package deliveries left on your doorstep.
   
   
10. Arrange to have your driveway and walks shoveled in the event of snow while you are away.
    
    
11. Whether you have a garage, carport, or not, if you are leaving a parked automobile visible in your driveway, be sure that you arrange with your snow removal service to have someone brush the snow off of the car after a snow storm while you are away.
    
    
12. Be sure not to telegraph your travel plans on social media websites.
    
    
13. In spite of having taken all of these home break-in safety measures, it is still always prudent to review your home insurance policy to be sure the coverage is adequate in the event of a loss.

Taking these safety measures and precautions, will help deter break-ins and better protect your Wilmette home.