Practical considerations for the holiday season
Roseville, Calif. – The annual hustle and bustle of the holiday season is here. Unfortunately, this also means a season of extra opportunity for criminals. There are many practical safety considerations worth considering during this festive time of year.
To enjoy the holidays a little more safely by securing your property, the City of Roseville offers the following precautions and info below.
Keep your home safe this holiday season
Are you heading out to see family and friends this holiday season? For many it's the best part of the holiday season. Before you rush out the door, make sure to secure your home.
- Lock up: This may seem like an obvious rule of safety, but sometimes the most obvious rules are the ones we forget to follow. Don't assume your doors and windows are shut and locked. Double check them! If you don't already have deadbolts on your doors, you may want to consider investing in some.
- Avoid posting your whereabouts on social media: I'm sure you have seen posts from friends and relatives on vacation. Some people post everything on Facebook-even if it's just a photo of lunch. It's only natural that you would want to post a picture or two on Facebook or Twitter sharing your holiday fun, but wait until after your return to post your pictures.
- Put lights on a timer, smart plug, or app: If you have outside holiday lights, put them on an automatic timer when you go out of town. You can set the timer so that your lights go on at a certain hour each night, making it appear as if you're home. You might also consider setting a few indoor lights on timers, too.
- Don't hide a key: Having a spare house key is a must. However, it's crucial to be careful about where you store that key. Don't leave it in a fake rock or place it under your doormat. Criminals know all the good hiding places. Instead, leave a key with a trusted friend or neighbor, that way you'll have access to it when needed.
- Ask someone to pick up your mail, or stop your mail: There is another benefit about having friendly neighbors. They can pick up your mail and newspapers. Having newspapers piled up on your doorstep might as well be a sign saying, "Hey everyone, I'm not home." You can also easily temporarily stop mail delivery on the U.S. Postal Service website.
- Hide any Christmas gifts: Of course, you want to keep gifts out of sight from children, but you also want to make sure gifts are hidden from a potential burglar. Putting pretty wrapped gifts under the Christmas tree looks nice, but it's also an open invitation for a burglar. Try to keep your Christmas tree, with gifts underneath, away from windows or other places with a view.
The holiday season is a joyous time of the year. Don't let criminals ruin it.