Tis the season for criminals who want free stuff! Keep these holiday tips in mind to keep your family (and your stuff) safe this season.
- Don’t leave personal belongings in vehicles unattended (like GPS, laptops, wallets, etc.).
- Leave outside lights on, and if possible, leave a TV or radio on when you leave. Thieves will sometimes knock to see if someone answers; if no answer, they will break in. Noise inside can help deter this.
- Keep garage doors shut!
- Write down, and keep in a safe place, the serial and model numbers to expensive electronics and items in case they are stolen (TVs, guns, etc.).
- If having packages delivered, make sure someone can retrieve them from porches. Unattended packages tend to disappear.
- When travelling, have someone check your residence or call BCSO to request vacation home checks. Let someone you trust know how long you will be out of town, leave a number where you can be reached and ask them to get mail out of the mail box until you return home. Try not to give indications that no one is home.
- Be mindful of telephone and business scams. Never give personal information over the phone, even if threats of arrests are made. Call local law enforcement if you’re unsure about the call.
- If you have children old enough to be home alone, have a planned escape route and place they can go in case of emergency.
- If you have wrapped gifts under a Christmas tree, try not to have those gifts be visible through a window, especially if no one is home.
- Set home alarms or purchase signs that indicate your house has an alarm.