With the holiday season fast approaching, we are left with many decisions and preparations to make before packing our trailers and making our way to our holiday destinations. Ensuring the security of family and property is a key priority at this time.
“Statistics clearly show that criminal activity increases during the holiday season and it is therefore imperative for homeowners to take the right precautions and not let their guard down,” says Richard McGhee, Sales and Marketing Director of ADT Security, one of South Africa’s leading security companies.
Going away can be stressful — you have to make travel arrangements, hire house-sitters, board your pets, pack your bags and ensure you have your tickets, passports and visas. The last thing you want to do when you’re on holiday is worry about what’s happening back home.
We have put together some tips to consider before heading off. After all, you don’t want to come home to a break-in -and this is all too common during the festive season:
- Make sure your house alarm is working properly.
- Park vehicles that are staying behind in a secure place, under lock and key, preferably somewhere where there’s security guard protection.
- Check electrical equipment to make sure there are no potential fire-causing bad connections. As a precaution turn off your geyser. This will also save you money and is environmentally friendly.
- Pack valuable items away so passers-by can’t see them from the street.
- Make sure your house-sitter or anyone with access to your home knows how to use the alarm and has a list of emergency numbers to hand.
- Go over your insurance policies or contact your broker to make sure everything’s up to date and items you will be taking away with you are insured. Make sure you’re covered in case you have a burglary while you’re away.
- Inform reliable neighbours of your holiday plans so that they can keep an eye on your property.
- Sliding doors can be secured simply by placing a piece of timber cut to size in the sliding rail. Make sure that sliding doors cannot be lifted vertically.
- Stop all newspaper deliveries or ask a friend or neighbour to collect your post. A bulging post box is a dead giveaway that you are not at home.
- Don’t tell the world — on Facebook and Twitter — that you’re going away. It’s not only your friends who want to know when you’re going and when you’ll be back.
- Don’t leave your spare keys under a flower pot or in the post box. Leave them with someone you trust, along with copies of your flight tickets, passports, itinerary, travel insurance documents, travellers’ cheques, ID books and contact numbers.
- Give the impression you’re at home by installing a timer, if you don’t have a house-sitter or someone checking on the house in your absence. You can set lights to switch on and off mornings and evenings.
- When you’re away, practise common-sense: don’t carry a lot of cash; put your cameras and laptops in a hotel safe when you’re not using them; don’t wear a lot of expensive jewellery; and be careful using ATMs in places you’re not familiar with. Also know where the nearest police station is, relative to where you’re staying.
- Before you set out, always have your vehicle serviced (including your caravan or trailer). Check all the tyres (including the spare), brakes, shock absorbers, lights, steering etc. Always travel with emergency equipment. E.g. basic tools, jack, first aid kit and fire extinguisher, red warning safety triangle.
- When driving long distances, remember to stop at least every two hours to stretch and have a break.
- Always buckle up.
- Stick to the speed limit, not only will this avoid accidents, but also avoid unnecessary expenses for speeding fines.
- Never drink and drive!
So from all at BARKER’s, we would like to wish all our valuable clients a safe and relaxing holiday season. Whether you are off to the coast or enjoying a quieter Joburg, we hope that you have a very merry time! Looking forward to hearing from you all in the New Year!