Family with little boy going on vacation, loading luggage into car.

Family with little boy going on vacation, loading luggage into car.

To enjoy your vacation fully, you should take measures to ensure that your house or apartment is safe and not a target for criminals. Here are a few tips that will deter criminals.

Ask a friend to help – Ask your friend to drive by your home at least once a day. They could also check on mail, feed a pet or water your plants. Make sure you leave your friend with an itinerary of your stay and a contact number for emergencies. Tell your friend that you will definitely return the favor by taking care of their place when they are away.

Stay off social media – Stay off social media and stop yourself from uploading pictures while you are on holiday. This is because when you post on Instagram, twitter or Facebook, you may not be sure who sees your personal information.

Inform the police – If you’re leaving for more than a week, inform your local police station, so that they can have a look at your home while they are on patrol.

Curtains opened or closed – You may want to close your curtains to prevent people from looking into your home while you are away. However, this is not always a good idea as the police or your neighbors may not see any suspicious behavior. Therefore it is best to leave the curtains how you usually leave them.

Lights – It is best not to leave lights on throughout the day, as this will indicate that you are away. Instead invest in a light switch timer, so that lights come on at certain times during the day.