According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, residential burglaries increase 10 – 18 percent during the summer when many families are away.
Give your house a lived-in look
• Put automatic timers on several lights on each level of your home, on a radio and on the television. Set the timers so the lights and appliances will turn on and off randomly.
• Leave shades and blinds in the same positions they are in when you are home.
• Arrange to have your lawn mowed while you’re away.
• Install dusk-to-dawn or motion sensor lights on all outdoor lights.
• Cancel the newspaper.
• Have a neighbor get your mail and any deliveries, or have the post office hold them until you return.
• Ask a neighbor to park in your driveway while you are gone.
• Have someone place your garbage cans at the curb for normal pickup and then return them to your garage.
Inform as few people as possible of your vacation plans
• Tell the Sheriff’s Office or your local police department you are away on vacation, and who has a spare key to your house.
• Don’t post your plans on social media sites.
• Leave your contact and itinerary information with a trusted neighbor and ask that neighbor to keep an eye on your property.
• Leave your normal message on your answering machine.
• Don’t turn on email auto-reply to indicate you are not at home.
Make sure your home is secure when you leave
• Lock all outside doors with deadbolt locks.
• Lock your windows and the garage door.
• Make sure your smoke and burglar alarms are functioning properly.
• Place metal rods in the tracks of sliding windows and doors for extra security.
• Securely fasten pet entrances onto your patio.
• Make a home inventory list complete with photos and video.
For more information or more safety tips, residents should call (770) 443-3010 or visit the Paulding County website.
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