What to do before going on holiday

Tips and ideas for a secure home this holiday season.

The holidays are a busy time of year. Most of us are busy working, shopping or planning the perfect holiday and it’s easy to forget about home security and how to safeguard your home before heading away on that much needed break.
Here at Harcourts Motueka & Mapua, we understand the importance of looking after your home. The holiday season can be stressful enough; you don’t need the added headaches of dealing with a burglary, so we’ve prepared some tips to help you keep your home secure while you’re away.

Property and Belongings

Property crime can have a devastating impact. Here are some simple steps you can take to make your home and property as safe as possible:

Don’t leave spare keys outside
Burglars are surprisingly good at finding spare keys. Before going away for the holidays, be sure to remove all spare keys from outside your property. You can also consider hiding fake spare keys in a key vault, which can delay a burglar from breaking into your home or prevent a break-in altogether.

Secure windows and doors
Doors and windows are the most vulnerable areas of your home. In addition to double-checking your locks before you leave, consider these tips to secure your entryways.
Consider replacing hollow wooden doors with metal doors; burglars can easily kick through hollow wood.
Unplug your garage door opener so thieves can’t open it with a universal remote.
Secure sliding doors with a long piece of wood or metal placed between the door and the wall.
Install deadbolts. Many robbers will break windows to unlock doors, but deadbolts that require keys will prevent this.
Install security stays on windows, especially those on ground level.

Home maintenance
Before you leave for your holiday, make sure you have a plan to maintain the outside of your home;
Arrange to have your lawn maintained while you’re on vacation.
Instead of having your mail stopped altogether, ask a trustworthy neighbour to collect your mail and packages for you. Clever burglars will notice homes that don’t get mail delivered for a few days.
Have your neighbour take out and bring in your rubbish and recycling bins (perhaps with a bit of their refuse in them) on collection days.

Lighting automation and timers
New technology is making it easier to keep your home secure while you’re away. With smart home devices, you can use automation to make burglars believe you’re still at home while on holiday. Here’s how: Put lights on automatic timers so that they turn on during the night. You can also get smart sockets which let you plug in electronics (radios and tv’s) and control them from an app which you could also turn on and off while you are away.
Use motion activated outdoor lights that turn on every time someone steps on your property.
Don’t just set your timers and forget them. Savvy burglars will recognize if the same lights turn on at the same times. Instead, vary the schedule, and use apps to manually turn on and off devices.

Avoid posting on Social Media
If you’re going to post your getaway on social media, do it with photos when you get home. Don’t advertise the fact you are leaving your house vacant on the world wide web where potentially anyone could see and use this information.

Get smart home security
Smart surveillance cameras and security devices can keep you connected to your home, even when you’re miles away from home.
Video doorbells send instant alerts to your smartphone, tablet or PC when anyone presses your doorbell or triggers its built-in motion sensors.
For added security, a spotlight camera is a versatile surveillance camera that can be mounted anywhere in your garden. Like the video doorbells, spotlight cam sends you alerts whenever it detects motion, and you can use the app to see, hear and speak to people on your property.

Protect your belongings
Keep valuables out of sight –if it can be seen, it can be a target. Keep receipts, warranties, valuations, and serial numbers in a safe place. Take photos or videos of jewellery, art and other precious items. Don’t leave your tools or valuables in your vehicle overnight. Don’t leave tools lying around your property where a potential burglar could use a spade to smash a window or you ladder to get into a high window that hasn’t been secured. Instead, always keep them secure and locked away out of sight with good quality, strong locks.

Ask a friend to house sit
Instead of making it look like someone’s at home, you can hire a trustworthy house sitter to be at your home while you’re away. Most burglaries occur because thieves recognize when a home is empty and vulnerable, but with a house sitter, your home will always be occupied.

Contacting Police

If you need Police assistance, or have something to let them know, you can get in touch 24/7

111 – Call 111 when you need an immediate emergency response from Police, Fire or Ambulance.

105 – Call 105 or visit 105.govt.nz to report things that have already happened and don’t require urgent Police assistance

*555 – Call *555 to report road incidents that are urgent but not life-threatening.

Crimestoppers – Call 0800 555 111 to report a crime anonymously. Crimestoppers is an independent charity.

Reporting crime in-person
You can report a crime at your local Police station by speaking to the person at the front counter who will inform you of what to do next. You may be able to speak to an officer straight away, and are welcome to bring a support person with you. To find your local Police station, visit:
http://www.police.gove.nz/contact-us/stations

Stay safe this holiday season.