Deter vandals while you’re gone

It’s important that you protect your home from unwanted guests while you’re away.

Visibly empty homes are prime targets for break-ins. The key to discouraging potential burglars during the holidays, or any time you’re traveling, is giving the illusion that you haven’t gone anywhere.

Follow these guidelines and boost your confidence in coming home to find things just as you left them:

• Stop mail and newspaper deliveries, or have a trusted friend or neighbor collect them.
• Turn down the volume on your answering machine and ringer so they can’t be heard outside.
• Leave shades, blinds and curtains in normal positions, but keep valuables where they can’t be seen.
• Trim shrubs and large trees so trespassers have fewer hiding spots.
• Leave a locked vehicle in your driveway or ask a neighbor to park there.
• Connect light switches and radios to an automatic timer.
• Ask a neighbor to take out your garbage, shovel the walk or mow your lawn.
• Make sure all windows and doors are locked. Deadbolts or cylinder locks are best for doors.
• Put a steel or wooden rod in the track of sliding glass doors.
• Don’t talk about your trip with acquaintances that might say something about you being away.
• Consider an alarm system that directly alerts police to intruders. If that is not possible, simply sticking an alarm decal in a visible location may be enough to scare off potential burglars.