During the holiday season, if you aren’t buying presents, then you’re wrapping them.
And if you’re not giving gifts, then you’re receiving them.
It all adds up to lots of presents to look forward too; or lots of valuable items for would-be potential crooks to target.
At Aim Lock & Safe Ltd., the last thing we want is for all your Christmas presents to be stolen from you.
So we’ve put together this handy checklist to help you protect your gifts over the holidays.
At home
The natural inclination is to have all the presents happily displayed under the Christmas tree.
And that’s something you should do. When you’re home.
However when you’re at work, visiting friends or braving the malls, you should keep your presents out of sight (especially if your Christmas tree is located near a visible window).
Other ways to keep your gifts safe include:
- Don’t forget to lock your doors before heading out. It’s obvious, but with the hustle and bustle of the season, it’s something that can get overlooked.
- Keep your presents hidden when you’re not home. Placing them inside a home safe is a smart way to hide them away and make sure criminals can’t get to them.
- Properly dispose of any packaging that could alert thieves that there are expensive items in your home. Don’t leave boxes or other packaging in plain view on your curb.
- Take stock of all your keys. If you notice any are missing and you can’t account for them, you may want to look at lock rekeying to make sure your lost key can’t access your home.
There are too many horror stories of homes getting broken into during the holiday season.
It leaves families devastated and vulnerable.
By taking some extra precaution, you can make sure your house; presents and your overall holiday experience are protected.
In the car
When it comes to storing Christmas presents in your car, here’s a good rule to follow:
- “Empty your car before someone else does”
Placing and leaving gifts in your car is convenient and easy, especially when you have plenty to lug around.
It’s tempting for thieves to break into your car and grab the presents inside. However if you’re smart, you can safely store presents in your car.
First thing is to bring all of your presents from the mall to the car. That way, you won’t leave anything unattended.
However if you have to make multiple trips, make sure you follow these safety tips:
- Always place your gifts in the trunk of your car. If your trunk is full of items, empty it before you begin your holiday shopping.
- Never forget to lock your car when you leave it. Even if it’s only for a moment, that’s all a practiced criminal needs to break in and make off with your presents.
- Park your car as close to the entrance as possible. Failing that, make sure you park in a well-lit area of the commercial parking lot.
As you embark on your Christmas shopping trips, you’ll want to get as much done as quickly as possible.
That’s totally understandable.
However if you take a little time to think about what you’re doing and properly store your Christmas gifts, you’ll ensure that they’ll be there when you return to your car.
Other things you can do
- Save all your receipts and write down and serial numbers which can be found on expensive and/or large items.
- If you’ve been worried about your home’s overall safety, the holidays are a perfect time to have a security consultation take place.
- Use light timers to give people the impression you’re home – even when you’re not.
- Be careful when using social media. Announcing that you’ve “checked-in” at the mall means that you’re announcing that you’re not home. Thieves look for – and act on – that type of info.
Let us keep you safe this holiday season
We’re a family-run business.
And our family doesn’t want anything to happen to yours this Christmas.
If you have any concerns about your home, don’t just sit on them.
Contact us for a FREE consultation. We’ll happily answer any questions you have about home security.
After all, the holidays should be wonderful. Not worrisome.
