The holiday season is often a time for shopping, merriment and for many, travel away from home. Potential criminals may take advantage of your extended time away, but there are simple ways to keep your home safe. Pasco Sheriff’s Office is helping you prepare your home for your time away by sharing important safety information. Implementing some of these tips can go a long way in providing you with peace of mind while away.

Complete a home safety evaluation before leaving for a trip. Lock all exterior doors and windows and ensure each lock works properly. Check that fences and gate latches function well and are closed. If your home has a security system, confirm all devices work properly and are set while you’re gone. Make sure security cameras are properly positioned and their lenses are clean. Ensure you also know how to access your security camera footage. Never leave a spare key near exterior doors, as criminals know common hiding places. Instead, ask a trusted neighbor or friend if you’re able to store a spare key with them.

Making your home look “lived-in” while you’re away can prevent you from becoming a victim of a crime of convenience. Use timers or smart devices to turn lights off and on at times you’re typically at home. This can help deter criminals by creating the appearance you’re home. Ask a trusted neighbor to retrieve mail and put out trash cans while you’re away. Keep your yard tidy, ensuring plants near windows are well trimmed, which helps eliminate potential hiding places for criminals. Secure outdoor items in a shed or garage to reduce the opportunity for theft.

Don’t forget packages or deliveries while you’re gone. If possible, have deliveries scheduled for when someone is home to accept packages. Install a visible security camera to monitor where your deliveries are dropped off. If you cannot schedule a delivery, have shipments sent to a trusted neighbor, friend, office or a package room. Place a temporary hold through the post office to stop delivering mail until your return. If you have automatic deliveries, be sure to pause those while you’re gone too.

Though you may be excited to share your travel plans with your friends and family on social media, keep in mind that potential criminals can use that information against you. Safeguard who sees what you share online by managing social media account privacy settings and restricting sharing abilities. Remove location tags and avoid “checking in” to locations on social media. Additionally, don’t share travel activities, itineraries or locations on social media platforms before or during travel. Post your vacation photos after you return!

Taking extra precautions during the holiday season can go a long way in ensuring that your property stays safe while you’re away. Knowing that you’ve taken time to properly prepare your home can help you enjoy your holidays even more. For more crime prevention tips, follow Pasco Sheriff’s Office on social media, or visit our news site at News.PascoSheriff.com. Safe travels, Pasco!