The holidays are here, bringing good cheer, parties, and time with families. Unfortunately, the holidays also bring theft and vandalism. We see apartment communities targeted because thieves can break into many cars and homes at one time. We advise our clients to follow a few simple tips to stay safe and protected during the holidays…and into the New Year!
- Don’t leave gifts in plain sight in your car. Thieves are looking for shopping bags and high ticket items through your windows, especially if your trunk area is visible through windows. Keep them covered in blankets or bring them inside your home.
- Don’t prop doors open. During the holidays, you may be hosting parties where guests are coming in every few minutes. Although it can seem annoying to continually meet your friends as they arrive, it’s unsafe to leave doors open. Don’t expose your community to uninvited guests.
- Don’t have your large packages delivered to your home if you aren’t there to receive them. It can be very tempting for thieves to see packages sitting outside doors and in mailrooms. If you aren’t going to be home to receive your packages, use options like store pickup or Amazon lockers.
- Consider installing a simple security camera. Nothing deters criminals like a security camera. Simple systems can be installed quickly and checked through an app on your smartphone.
- Call if you see suspicious activity. Being a good neighbor means speaking up if you see something that doesn’t seem right. If your community provides a patrol or dedicated security team, be sure to program their number in your phone so you have it in case of emergency. Otherwise, call 911 or a non-emergency line depending on the situation.