Grinch-like criminals are out to steal your stuff this holiday — are you prepared?
As the season of giving, the holidays are a prime opportunity for thieves to steal things out of homes and off porches. After all, most people are buying more things than usual in preparation for the big day, at a time when everyone is more likely to be out socializing.
Home burglary and porch pirating standout as the most common crimes committed during the holidays. While the chances of these happening to you increase in the final months of the year, you can keep your home and valuables safe with a few changes to your habits.
Home Burglary
PlayStations, gold jewelry, iPhones, smart home devices, and cold hard cash — these make up the many popular and valuable gifts under people’s trees during the holidays. Houses in high-income areas are prime targets for burglars hoping to score one (or more) of these items.
Dealing with Theft Right Now? Read This
Most home insurance policies cover burglaries and damages caused by breaking and entering. If your policy includes theft, you can make a claim to receive payment for stolen items up to a maximum limit, minus a deductible.
Your deductible is the amount of money you have to pay before your insurance company takes over, and for most homeowners, it’s about $1,000.
If holiday spending makes it impossible for you to cover this unexpected deductible, an installment loan might be an option. Going online to apply makes it easy to see if an installment loan works for your situation. If you like what you see, you can even try to apply today to get started with a simple online application.
How to Prevent a Break-In
Prevention lies in making you seem like an unappealing or difficult target to burglars — it doesn’t have to be any more complicated than that. Here’s how:
- Always lock your doors and windows when you aren’t home.
- Don’t leave a key under your doormat or other common hiding places.
- Keep valuables out of sight, hiding them behind locked doors if possible.
- Have outdoor lights to eliminate shadows that give burglars cover.
- Trim bushes and other greenery to remove hiding spots.
- Keep a light on while you’re away to make it look like someone is home.
- Don’t advertise when you’ll be away on social media.
- Have someone shovel your driveway if you are away for an extended period.
Porch Bandits
Shopping online is the most convenient way to stock up for the holidays, no matter what you need. Whether it’s groceries, gifts, decorations, or home goods, you can have these items delivered to your porch without making a trip to these stores.
Unfortunately, porch pirates see your corner-cutting shopping technique as an opportunity to do some “shopping” themselves. They steal your packages right off your stoop before you can collect your deliveries.
Your Credit Card to the Rescue
The good news is that most credit cards these days come with purchase protections that include insurance in case a porch pirate steals or damages your package. Read the fine print of your contract to understand how much they’re willing to cover.
How to Prevent Porch Piracy
Many of the same tricks from above still apply, with these savvy additions:
- Install motion-activated floodlights.
- Arrange deliveries on days you know you will be home.
- Track deliveries so you can pick up your package as soon as they arrive.
- Reroute your packages to a pickup spot.
Be smart and protect your home — these tips can save you a lot of stress this holiday.
