Hip hip, hooray! As a female director of a security firm, I am particularly precious about Christmas security as I don’t want ANYTHING going wrong during my favourite time of the year! It’s all about ham and pork and too many glasses of wine or egg nog – not about having your goodies pinched by the Grinch!
It’s no surprise that the holiday season brings with it added security risks. In the crowd control arena, we see a LOT more alcohol related naughtiness around Christmas of course, which keeps my guards on their toes. But more importantly, your home is at greater risk. Those who celebrate Christmas have a pile of brand new goodies ripe for the picking in their homes. New iPads, jewellery, DVD’s – all items that are easily carried by hand by a willing burglar.
And when do people go on holidays? At Christmas! We are only making it easier for these light fingered jerks. SO – every year I make sure I share my favourite security tips with my readers and clients. A lot of them you are probably very familiar with – but I bet I have a few you didn’t even think of!
1. The age-old tradition of having someone collect your mail. Sorry for drumming this one into you all but a build up of junk mail is a sure-fire thumbs up to dodgy people.
2. Have your neighbour park their car in your driveway sporadically.
3. Got Christmas lights? For heaven’s sake don’t feed them through partially open windows. Crooks look out for this – you’ll be stuffed if one sees it. Bye bye, iPads. Use solar lights if you have no other electrical option.
4. Don’t advertise your new toys! If you have trash (packaging) from all your new stuff at Christmas, do NOT put it in your bin until the night of collection. Otherwise, you might as well write a shopping list for crooks!
5. Automate, baby! Get some light timers – they can be the difference between having a ripper Christmas and getting ransacked. If you want to get really creative, try the Z-Wave. It’s an incredible new product that can remotely control your entire home http://www.z-wave.com/modules/ZwaveStart/
6. Don’t be lazy – keep your stuff locked up – ie anything that can help a potential burglar force entry into your house such as ladders etc. Keep your sheds locked.
7. Motion sensor lights – they do more than you realise! Use them at the front, back and sides of your house. No crook wants to be illuminated during a break and enter!
8. Lastly, keep your Christmas tree and presents away from prying eyes. If you have curtains, keep them closed at night. When setting up your tree, make sure it’s not close to windows or external doors if you can help it. So many people lose their presents to daylight break ins in which a crook simply leans through a window or door whilst you’re home and flogs your stuff.
Other than that, have a ripper Christmas, everyone! Keep safe, and have a glass of wine for me!
Erin Williams
Director
Strategic Security
