Home Burglaries Peak During Summer Travel Season
Home Safety Council Offers Tips to Keep your Home Secure
WASHINGTON, July 27 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the latest crime rate statistics, home burglaries peak in July and August, when many families plan summer trips.(1) To help keep your home safe and secure even while you are traveling, the Home Safety Council offers a simple home security checklist to protect against potential break-ins.
"Home security should be a top priority before going away on vacation," said Meri-K Appy, president of the Home Safety Council. "Taking a few moments to identify and address security issues in and around the home before leaving town will help ensure your property and valuables are better protected."
The Home Safety Council urges families to look at their home from a burglar or thief's perspective and run down this quick checklist before hitting the road for a summer vacation.
* Check all doors and door frames. Outside doors should be hinged from the
inside. If you have sliding doors, place a bar in the inside track.
* Check to make sure all door and window locks are working. Replace any
broken locks.
* Purchase several light timers so you can set lights to come on in
different rooms at different times. In addition, inspect those lights
equipped with timers for faulty bulbs or dangerous connections.
* Shine security lights on windows and entries to your home and replace
burned out or dim light bulbs.
* Install motion-detection lights around the perimeter of your home.
* Place a blind or curtain over all windows so that no one can look inside
your home or garage.
* Remove extra keys that are hidden outside. Give a spare house key to a
close friend or family member. Ask them to keep an eye on the inside and
outside of your home while you are away.
* Do yard work before you leave. Trim limbs that could be used to access
higher windows. Keep hedges neat and pruned so they can't be used by
intruders for cover. Arrange to have the lawn mowed during extensive
absences.
* Give your home the appearance that someone is always there: consider
asking a trusted neighbor to use your driveway to park their car while
you are away.
* Arrange to have your newspaper delivery suspended and have mail held at
the post office or picked up daily by someone you trust.
* Think about buying a fire-proof home safe for important papers, jewelry,
etc. Or keep these items in your bank safe deposit box until you get
back.
* Never leave an outgoing answering machine message that states you are
out of town.
* Give your travel and contact information to a friend or family member so
that you can be reached in the case of an emergency.
For additional information and resources to help you learn more and stay safe in and around your home, please visit http://www.homesafetycouncil.org/.
About the Home Safety Council
The Home Safety Council (HSC) is the only national nonprofit organization solely dedicated to preventing home-related injuries that result in nearly 20,000 deaths and 21 million medical visits each year. Through national programs, partnerships and the support of volunteers, HSC educates people of all ages to keep them safer in and around their homes. The Home Safety Council is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization located in Washington, DC.
(1) FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting Program (2003)
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