Nothing can ruin the holiday spirit faster than becoming the victim of a burglary. So with the help of our newly-hired director of safety and security, Captain John Mann, we’ve put a few preventative tips together for you to have a happy and safe holiday season!

Preventing Burglary:

• Don’t display your Christmas tree and gifts in a front window visible from the street. It’s too tempting. The same advice goes for gifts in your car. Make sure nothing valuable is left in plain sight. If you’re ever leaving or getting back to your house when it’s dark, turn on your porch light. You need to be able to see to be aware of your surroundings. Having lights on or a TV playing helps to make it appear as if someone is home.
• When electronic gifts are received, make sure you record their serial numbers and keep that list in a safe location. It helps aid law enforcement in tracking lost items.
• After Christmas, don’t pile up empty gift boxes from your new computer or big screen TV on the street for you garbage man. Burglars will appreciate knowing you have brand new expensive gifts inside.
• ALWAYS lock all doors and windows, use light times, don’t let your mail pile up and don’t hide keys in obvious places (i.e. under the rug).

Shopping Safety Tips:

• Foremost, stay alert to your surroundings.
• Always park in a well-lit area.
• Before you approach your car, have your keys readily available in your hand. Once in your car, lock your doors immediately.
• Don’t carry large amounts of cash. If you do, keep it separated in different compartments of your bag. Try to carry a cross-body bag if possible.
• Beware of strangers approaching for any reason. It’s ok to tell people no and keep walking. Don’t put yourself into a confrontation.

Fear is a gift. If something doesn’t feel right, remove yourself from the situation and go into a public area. See something, say something. Law Enforcement is not too busy to address your concern. It is always better to cause a false alarm than to be a victim.

Follow these tips and have a holly, jolly Christmas!