December 2016
With the festive season well and truly upon us, houses up and down the country are sure to be full of with Christmas presents and food ready to bring joy on the 25 December. However, while gifts of gadgets, toys and jewellery – often with generous price tags – may be safe from the children or your other half trying to take a peak, it’s important to think about deterring others who may be eager to get their hands on them too.
Christmas is a prosperous time for burglars – not only because of the increased value of goods hiding inside homes, but because many people take trips away to visit family and friends, making it a prime opportunity for theft.
Here, we share some tips to make sure Santa Claus is the only person sneaking into your Story Home over Christmas.
1. Hide presents
It’s important to make sure would-be burglars can’t see your presents through windows and doors. Rather than keep them under the tree, consider hiding them in cupboards or under the bed until the night before Christmas.
2. Make it look like you are at home
If you are heading away for the holidays, make sure that you turn your lights on or buy an automatic timer to make it look like you are still home. Ask a dependable neighbour to keep an eye on your house, or give them a key so they can come round to open and close your curtains and collect your post if it’s on display – a mound of letters piling up is a sign that you are not home. It may also be worth asking your neighbour to park their car on your drive on alternate nights.
Don’t leave detailed answer phone messages, saying “Sorry, we’re in sunny Dubai for Christmas, leave a message!”
3. Keep packaging out of sight
Watch out for cardboard boxes which have well known retailers printed on the side. If you want to throw this away, don’t simply leave the box outside, notifying people of the shiny new gadget in your house; instead, tear up all packaging and dispose of it discreetly.
4. Don’t leave notes
If you’re expecting a parcel but you’re not going to be in, steer clear of leaving notes on or near your door to say you’re out – it’s a green light to burglars. Instead, be sure when ordering to give a safe place they can leave it or the details of a neighbour who can take it for you.
5. Check, check and check again
Again, this sounds obvious, but make sure you’re extra cautious with locks at this time of year. Double-check your doors and windows before you leave the house – and if you’ve got a window propped open with the cable for outdoor Christmas lights, unplug them!
It takes just a few extra minutes each day to do all of the above, but it can make a huge difference to protecting your Story Home. With these useful safety tips under your belt, you should have the peace of mind to get on with what’s important – enjoying the festive period with your loved ones. Merry Christmas!
