With spring upon us and the festive season well and truly in our sights it’s that time of year when we start to plan for our upcoming holidays and whether they are interstate or international Christmas trips, or just a weekend away to a beach house, preparing for a holiday is more than just packing bags and squeezing the kids in the family car.

Preparing your home for the holidays is one of the most important dot points on any holiday checklist as we all know the holiday season is prime time for thieves and the last thing you want to come home to after a break is a break-in.

The best way to avoid a nasty surprise is to plan and prepare and you can do this with our top tips.

Tip 1: The Mail Man

An oldie but a goodie, have your friends or family pick up your mail a few times a week. There is nothing more noticeable to thieves than a letterbox full of mail – you may as well have a neon sign in the front yard that reads “no one is home”.

Tip 2: The Nosey Neighbour

Inform your neighbours you are going away. This way they can be vigilant and inform the authorities if someone is seen lingering around where they shouldn’t be.

Tip 3: light the night

Leave the sensor light on your front porch and if possible set your lights to timer so they come on for a few hours a night. This will give the indication that your home is occupied.

Tip 4: silence speaks loudly

Leave the radio on low or set your television on a nightly timer. This will similarly give the indication that your home is occupied.

Tip 5: Hide the prize

Make sure you lock away and hide any valuables such a jewellery on display or electrical goods such as IPads. Also never leave anything of value in plain sight or close to windows that aren’t blocked by blinds. Thieves are opportunistic so don’t feed the temptation.

Do not leave a spare key out (especially under a pot plant or in the metre box).
Do not let your garden grow wild (especially if you are going away for more than a few weeks).
Do not leave messages on your door saying you are away or stating your return date!