HUNTSVILLE, Alabama — Preventing your home from becoming a target while on vacation this summer is probably something you don't want to take a chance on or think twice about.
June, July, and August are popular vacation months, but they're also, not surprisingly, the months where home burglaries peak.
"If criminals are wanting to try to figure out if you're not home or not, they're going to check social media and they're going to see that you're posting from a different place and they're going to use that as an opportunity," said Huntsville Police Department Patrol Officer Bruce Jansen.
Jansen said one of the most important things to note when you are going on vacation is to not post everything on social media while you are gone. Never broadcast your location on social media. Even if you think that it's only your friends or colleagues viewing your online profiles, it's safest not to leave any sort of opening for a possible burglar.
"Some other things that you can do are simple things like leave a light on at your house, make it look like somebody is at home, leave the tv on so that there's some noise coming from inside the house. Make sure your doors and windows are locked when you leave. Make sure that your alarm system is up to date," he explained.
In addition, set timers on interior lights. This goes a long way in deterring burglars, who often look for crimes of opportunity. Don't allow your house to appear as if no one is home. You never know when a power surge may occur, so be prepared. Disconnect the computer, TV, stereo, and other electronics, or make sure they are plugged safely into a surge protector.
Furthermore, secure all valuables, which means do not leave anything valuable in plain sight. If you don't already have your jewelry or other valuables in a safe deposit box, now might be the time to do so. Doing this also ensures that you don't leave out anything valuable in plain sight that a burglar might be able to see from a window.
"You might want to talk to your local post office, let them know that you're going out of town. Ask them to hold your mail if you have packages that are coming in, talk to family members or neighbors, and have them get your packages off of your front porch so that they don't get stolen," Jansen continued.
Lastly, if you are going out of town for an extended period of time,"...you can always call us, let us know that you're going to be gone and we'll patrol your home as much as possible," he iterated.