It shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that burglars
prefer to break into homes and steal things when the occupants of that house
are not home—and preferably when they're out of town rather than merely out to
dinner.
And that leads us to the question of how burglars know when you're out of town.
According to companies that deal in home security, there are six primary clues that tell potential burglars that you're out of town even if it's only for a long weekend. And there's nothing hidden or tricky about those clues. They're just plain common sense.
1) The house is always dark:
When you're home rather than out of town, you turn various
lights on and off as you go through your normal routine—kitchen, living room,
bedrooms, etc. To simply leave a light
on when you're out of town does not handle the situation. Lights go one and off
in different rooms. The best way to handle this is to have lights that you can
control remotely when you're out of town. Next best would be to have lights on
timers that come on and go off at different times.
2) No cars in the driveway or a car has been there too long without moving:
Professional burglars will often case a potential
location to determine the routines of the people who live there. I, personally,
never park in my driveway. My car is always in the garage unless I'm physically
in my car going somewhere. But people without garages, or those who have
detached garages without direct access to their house, usually park in their
driveway or at the curb in front of their house. If the car that belongs to
that house is gone for days or is there for days without being moved, it's a
sign that the owner of the car is most likely out of town. To avoid this, have
a neighbor occasionally park their car in your driveway or have a friend or
family member move your car from time to time.
3) Newspapers, mail, and packages pile up:
If your mailbox is overflowing, newspapers are on the
driveway or in the yard, or there's several Amazon deliveries on your porch,
it's a sure sign that the occupants are out of town. Simple solution is to put
a vacation hold on your mail at the post office, have the newspaper delivery
stopped, and don't place any Amazon orders that are scheduled to be delivered
while you're gone.
4) Your lawn needs mowing:
If someone is watching your house, a normally well-manicured
yard that is suddenly in need of mowing and edging is a big clue that the
occupants are out of town. Of course, if you have a lawn service that mows
regularly, it solves that problem.
5) Snow hasn't been shoveled from driveway and sidewalk:
Just like lawn care in spring and summer, winter presents
yard situation indicating the occupants are out of town. If the snow hasn't
been shoveled off the driveway and sidewalk, or there aren't any tire tracks in
the snow on the driveway, it's a good sign that the occupants are out of town.
If there's the possibility of snow accumulation while you're gone, perhaps your
neighbor can be in charge of snow removal for you. And occasionally drive his
car in and out of your driveway
And these are the six biggest clues that you're out of town
and a prime target for burglars. As I said, these are common sense measures and
precautions to take before you leave on vacation.
