If you go on vacation
An overflowing mailbox is a clue that the house or apartment is unoccupied. Consider replacing a small mailbox with a larger one so as not to attract glances. If you leave home for more than 2 days, ask Canada Post to hold your mail and stop delivering your newspaper until you return. Ask a neighbor to take the other newspapers and advertisements for you. A pile of newspapers and mail is a clear sign of an unoccupied house.
Burglars can notice all kinds of clues that you are away. Discourage them by making your house look lived in. Have someone mow the lawn or shovel the driveway, clean the car if it has snowed, or park a car in your driveway if you are going with yours. You can even ask a neighbor to place a garbage bag in front of your house on garbage collection day.
Give a trusted neighbor a duplicate of your keys and give them the following information:
Your departure and arrival dates;
Your destination;
How we can reach you in an emergency (phone number); and
Visitors expected (gardener, repairman).
Ask the neighbor to watch your house and inspect the house from time to time.
A house that remains dark 24 hours a day is a glaring clue. Install timers for lights in different rooms of the house; they are inexpensive and efficient, especially timers with multiple programs. Program them so that they turn on and off at different times each day, so thieves don't see a pattern. Using timers on lights and appliances makes your home feel lived in. Lights activated by a motion detector can also surprise thieves and scare them away. Consider installing a few in the front and back of your home.
Don't draw attention to your absence by leaving notes on the door. Some do this while waiting for a delivery, but if a burglar reads it, you might as well leave the front door open.
Lock your doors and windows well, and don't forget the garage. Also remember to remove the key from the door; you would be surprised at the number of
people who forget it! Insert a piece of wood on the track of sliding doors or windows to prevent them from being forced.
Burglars know all the hiding places of valuables. If you can't live without one of your favorite pieces of jewelry, put it in a safety deposit box. Your insurance company can help you with a loss, but items of sentimental value cannot be replaced.
Keep an inventory of your belongings and put it in a safe place outside your home. In the event of a claim, it will be easier to submit a claim. It’s hard to remember how many CDs your collection has, what your winter boots look like or your grandmother’s cutlery pattern. Simplify your task with a tape recorder, video camera or digital camera, or use the services of a company that specializes in videotaping assets.
Be aware that your homeowner policy covers your belongings that are temporarily outside your home, including the contents of your suitcase. So write down what you have brought.
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