If you have ever left your home and had to return because you think you’ve left your stove or iron on, then you’ll not want to go on holiday with any niggling doubts that your property is not secure.
With house break-ins the most common crime in South Africa, according to Statistics South Africa, you’ll want to make sure that you have taken every precaution necessary to secure your property before you go on holiday. An empty home is very attractive to burglars, and they are very adept at finding ways around security systems. However, there are other measures you can take to make sure you don’t draw a criminal’s attention to your property in the first place, especially when your home is unoccupied.
Telltale signs
Bearing in mind that crime syndicates do monitor targeted properties for routines and activity levels, you’ll want to minimise the telltale signs that you are away.
Criminals will be looking for the following: Empty driveways that are normally occupied by vehicles.
- Overgrown lawns.
- Poorly lit exteriors.
- Rubbish bins that haven’t been brought in from the street.
- Indoor lights that are being switched on- and off.
- A green swimming pool.
- Whether load shedding impacts on your motorised gate and alarm systems (they may even run a quick jump over-the-wall test, to check if you have battery backups).
- Curtains that remain closed during the day.
Must-do’s before you leave
All of these are potential giveaways that you are not in occupation. To minimise the risks of break-ins, these are some of the measures you can take before you leave home:
- Organise with a neighbour or family member to drop in at different times. They can open and close curtains, turn lights on and off, and even park their car overnight if possible.
- Close all windows and doors. If a window is left open for a cat, make sure it is a window that can’t be seen from the street. Don’t forget to also lock all outbuildings.
- Look at purchasing battery backup systems for the motorised gate and alarm systems.
- Install motion detector lights throughout the garden, and against the house. The brighter the better.
- Don’t advertise your ongoing vacation on social media. Rather leave that until you have returned.
Other measures for peace of mind
Burglaries aren’t the only hazard that may threaten your property while you are on vacation. To minimise other risks and alleviate any anxieties you may have about leaving your home occupied, consider taking the following measures:
- Turn off the water and the geyser.
- Unplug electrical appliances that do not require power (eg: fridge if empty, tv systems, internet).
- If your property is going to remain unoccupied for an extended period, advise your insurer that may recommend further measures.
- Empty the fridge of anything that may spoil while you’re gone.
- Hide all your valuables in very cryptic places. Do not leave your computers in the home, rather store them at a family member or friend’s home.
- Check the weather for extreme conditions and prepare accordingly. If major storms are predicted, tie-down any movable garden items.
- Trim all trees and bushes to well below the garden perimeter walls. Also make sure there are no other access points or vulnerabilities that provide a foot-up.
- Do a security check before you leave to ensure all beams and camera’s are operational and register at the home security companies command centre. Make sure your security company has erected a sign on your property, indicating that you have 24-hour monitoring.
- Consider engaging the services of a house/petsitter.
- Do not leave any keys hidden around the property.
- Ask someone to take out the rubbish bins on the day of removal, and bring them back inside after collection.
In the same way that you take time to prepare for your holiday, take the time to plan what you are going to do as you leave your property, and that includes making sure your householder’s insurance is up-to-date and caters to your needs. Preparation is the key to prevention!